Definition

flat file system

Part of the Operating systems glossary:

Also see flat file , an entirely different term.

Next Steps

Flat file import not working on 64-bit systems
Is SSIS on 64-bit systems any different from SS...
(SearchSQLServer.com)
Generating multiple flat files from a single flat file source
Generating multiple flat files from a single fl...
(SearchSQLServer.com)

A flat file system is a system of files in which every file in the system must have a different name. In Windows 95 and most other operating system today, files are managed in a hierarchical file system with a hierarchy of directories and subdirectories, each containing a number of files (or subdirectories). The operating system allows more than one file to have the same name as long as it is stored in a different directory. Early versions of the Macintosh and DOS operating systems used a flat file system.

The term flat file directory is used to describe a file directory that can contain only files (no subdirectories).

This was last updated in November 2005

Contributor(s): Jack Hubbert

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Related Terms

Definitions

flat file
- A flat file is a file containing records that have no structured interrelationship. (SearchSQLServer.com)

Glossaries

Operating systems
- Terms related to operating systems, including definitions about open source and proprietary operating systems and words and phrases about system programs, boot mechanisms, kernels, command interpre...
Internet applications
- This WhatIs.com glossary contains terms related to Internet applications, including definitions about Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery models and words and phrases about web sites, e-commerce ...

Dig Deeper

Flat file import not working on 64-bit systems

Is SSIS on 64-bit systems any different from SSIS on 32-bit systems? I am trying to import a flat file in 64-bit systems, and SQL Server is throwing an exception, yet on 32-bit systems it is workin... (SearchSQLServer.com)
Generating multiple flat files from a single flat file source

Generating multiple flat files from a single flat file source could be done by first creating a DTS package with Custom Active Script task. (SearchSQLServer.com)
Objects are discrete units of storage

(WhatIs.com)

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