Final Answer:
To read records from a file, a program can utilize file input/output operations to access and process the information stored within the file.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reading records from a file involves employing file handling techniques within a programming language. Initially, the program needs to establish a connection to the file by opening it in read mode. This operation allows the program to access the data stored in the file.
Subsequently, the program can utilize specific commands or functions depending on the chosen programming language to read the records sequentially or randomly, parsing the data as needed. For instance, in languages like Python or C++, functions such as `fopen()` or `ifstream` respectively can be used to open the file, followed by `fread()` or `getline()` to read the contents of the file line by line or in structured record formats.
Once the file is opened, the program can employ various control structures and parsing mechanisms to extract and process the records according to the desired logic or structure. For example, if the file contains structured data like CSV (Comma-Separated Values) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), the program needs to interpret and separate each record based on the defined structure.
The read data can then be stored in variables, data structures, or used directly based on the program's requirements, facilitating subsequent operations like data manipulation, analysis, or display.
Reading records from a file is a fundamental operation in programming that involves accessing external data stored persistently. It allows programs to retrieve information stored in files, enabling data processing, analysis, or utilization within the program's logic. The process involves opening a file, reading its contents using appropriate language-specific functions, and parsing the data according to its format or structure, thereby enabling the program to work with the retrieved records effectively.