HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

Guide to OpenVMS File Applications

stream record format: Property of a file specifying that the data in the file is interpreted as a continuous sequence of bytes, without control information, except for terminators that are recognized as record separators. Stream record format applies to sequential files only.

synchronous record operation: An operation in which your program does not regain control until after the completion of a record retrieval or storage request. See also asynchronous record operation.

terminator: Special characters or character sequences used to delimit the records in files using the stream record format.

track: A collection of blocks at a single radius on one recording surface of a disk.

tuning: The process of designing your files to achieve better processing performance.

user buffer: A buffer within an application program.

variable-length record format: Property of a file in which record length may vary.

variable-length with fixed-length control field (VFC) record format: Property of a file in which records of variable-length contain an additional fixed-length control field capable of storing data that may have no connection with the other contents of the record. VFC record format is not applicable to indexed files.

VFC record format: See variable-length with fixed-length control field (VFC) record format.

volume (disk): An ordered set of 512-byte blocks. The medium that carries Files--11 On-Disk Structure files.

volume (magnetic tape): A reel of magnetic tape, which may contain a part of a file, a complete file, or more than one file.

volume set: A collection of related volumes.

write-behind processing: A software option used for sequentially accessing sequential files using two buffers. One buffer holds records to be written to the disk. The other buffer awaits I/O completion.