8.4 File Content Access
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## 8.4 File Content Access

The DICOM File Service offers the ability to access the content of any File of a File-set. The File content is an ordered string of zero or more bytes, where the first byte is at the beginning of the file and the last byte at the end of the File.

### Note

This File content definition as an ordered string of bytes is related to the view provided at the DICOM File Service level. It may not correspond to the physical ordering of bytes of data on a specific medium.

The DICOM File Service shall manage the delimitation of the end of the File by ensuring the user of the File Service that read access beyond the last byte will be detected and reported to the DICOM File Service user. This delimitation function is performed by the Media Format Layer.

The DICOM File Service shall offer the ability:

1. for an FSR or FSU to perform an M-READ to read zero or more bytes of the content of a File;

2. for an FSC or FSU to perform an M-WRITE to write one or more bytes making the content of a File.

### Note

The DICOM File Service does not require any specific capability for the selective read access or write access of the content of a file (e.g., seek or append). However it does not restrict specific Media Format definitions to support such features.

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