Introduces the many and powerful data structures for representing information physically (in contrast to a database management system that represents information with logical structures). Covers specialized data structures, and explains how to choose the appropriate algorithm or data structure for the job at hand. The four sections treat primary file organizations, bit level and related structures, tree structures, and file sorting. Opening chapters cover sequential file organization, direct file organization, indexed sequential file organization, bits of information, secondary key retrieval, and bits and hashing. Following chapters cover binary tree structures, B-trees and derivatives, hashing techniques for expandable files, other tree structures, more on secondary key retrieval, sorting, and applying file structures. Contains pseudocode, or an outline in English, for most algorithms. Includes end-of-section questions, with answers to some. Extensively illustrated.

Alan L. Tharp is the author of File Organization and Processing, published by Wiley.