Q. Could you replicate a multilevel directory structure with a single-level directory structure in which arbitrarily long names can be used? If your answer is yes describe how you can do so and contrast this scheme with the multilevel directory scheme. If your answer is no then describe what prevents your simulation's success. How would your answer alter if file names were limited to seven characters?
Answer: If arbitrarily long names are able to be used then it is possible to simulate a multilevel directory structure. This is able to be done for example by using the character "." to point out the end of a subdirectory. Therefore for example the name jim.java.F1 identify that F1 is a file in subdirectory java which in turn is in the root directory jim. If file names were restricted to seven characters then the above scheme couldn't be utilized and thus in general the answer is no. The next best approach in these circumstances would be to use a specific file as a symbol table (directory) to map arbitrarily long names (such as jim.java.F1) into shorter arbitrary names (such as XX00743) which are then utilized for actual file access.