Sparse Files ? (used often?)

[Jim Frost]

In article <228 at rdahp.UUCP> scott at rdahp.UUCP (Scott Hammond) writes:
|I'm interested in knowing how much UNIX _application_ software (besides
|news, mailers, or pathalias) uses sparse files.  In particular, given an
|underlying file system implementation which doesn't permit holes, are
|there many of situations where a lot of space is going to be wasted by
|traditional attempts at creating sparse files? 

Not generally, although some common database techniques can create
sparse files (dbm and ndbm packages use techniques which commonly make
sparse files, and dbm/ndbm are often used by applications because
they're already there).  Unless you're dealing with a large database
application, it's unlikely to be a problem, and many databases avoid
sparse files.

In answer to your question, there is not very much application
software which uses sparse files.  Be careful, though -- it only takes
one such application to make your life difficult.

jim frost
madd at bu-it.bu.edu