Final answer:
Creating an ordered file with records based on a primary key like customer name and using a primary index enhances search efficiency and data retrieval. The primary index provides a sorted structure for quick access to records and efficient database updates. However, the primary key should be unique and stable over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
When creating an ordered file whose records are based on a primary key, using a primary index on the attribute can be very beneficial. If customer name is used as the primary key, then constructing a primary index on customer name would enable faster search operations. This is because a primary index is sorted based on the primary key and allows for efficient direct access to records. The reasons for using a primary index include improved query performance, especially for equality and range searches, and ease of data retrieval in sorted order.
The index makes it easy to locate the starting point of the record in the file without scanning the entire file. Furthermore, updates to the database can also be handled more efficiently as the index can be updated instead of the whole file. However, it’s important to ensure that the primary key is chosen wisely, as it should be unique and not subject to frequent changes to avoid frequent restructuring of the index.