Résumé: An important functional component of ever.y file organization is the set of search mechanisms which are used to locate individually identified records during the process of either update or retrieval. There have been a large number of computer-related search techniques developed in the past 20 years. The objective of this article is to synthesize many of these techniques into one parametrically describable search mechanism. This is accomplished by separating search techniques into two categries: addressing techniques, and tree searching techniques. Significant literature is surveyed for each category. The new concept of a TRIE-TREE search mechanism is then introduced, and used to combine these categories via a generalized model. The model has proven to be a pedagogic convenience in explaining the relation between alternative search techniques. It has also been used irk a practical application as a schema for alternative search strategies which are automatically evaluated during the process of a file organization design.

Langue: Anglais