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In operating-system file terminology, the direct access method lets a program select a particular block or record by its position in a file, without first reading every earlier record. It is also called random access or relative access. The phrase has other specialized meanings, so context matters.
How direct access works in a file
Think of a file as a sequence of numbered blocks. With direct access, a program can choose a block by its position, then read or write it. The operating-systems explanation describes operations such as positioning to block n, reading or writing block n, handling the next block after positioning, and rewriting block n. The method is based on a disk-file model, as explained by the INFLIBNET Centre.
The essential feature is selection by position: the program does not have to process all preceding records to reach the chosen one. “Direct” does not, by itself, promise that every request is equally fast; performance depends on the storage and system involved.
Direct access compared with sequential access
| Access method | How records are selected | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Sequential | Records are processed in order, one after another. | Ordered scans or workloads that naturally handle every record in sequence. |
| Direct (random or relative) | A program selects a block or record by position. | Requests for a particular position without scanning all earlier records. |
Direct-access operations can be used to carry out sequential processing: a program can move through positions in order. The reverse is not true for a sequential-only method, which cannot independently select an arbitrary block. This distinction is described in the INFLIBNET Centre’s file-system interface module.
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How indexed access differs
Indexed access uses a separate index containing pointers to records or blocks. A program looks up the desired entry in the index, then follows its pointer to the record. Direct access by position and indexed access are related ways to reach data, but they are not identical: one selects by a position, while the other consults an index.
Direct access in IBM IMS databases
IBM also uses “direct access” for specific IMS database processing methods. In IMS 15.4 documentation, HDAM and PHDAM use a randomizing routine to locate records, while HIDAM and PHIDAM use an index-based approach. IMS also uses pointers to maintain relationships between records; IBM notes that these pointers add overhead. These are IMS-specific database methods, not a universal definition of how all databases work.
A separate library-cataloging meaning
In cataloging, “direct access” can describe an electronic resource on a tangible carrier that a user physically inserts into a computer, such as a disk or CD-ROM. The Library of Congress’s Draft Interim Guidelines for Cataloging Electronic Resources contrasts this with “remote access,” where the carrier is inaccessible to the user, often because the resource is reached over a network. This is a distinction about the resource’s carrier and how it is reached, not about selecting a numbered file block.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.In short
For operating-system files, direct access means selecting a block or record by position. Sequential access processes records in order; indexed access follows pointers stored in an index. Database and cataloging contexts use the phrase in more specialized ways, so check the surrounding subject to interpret it correctly.
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