/**
     * Sets length of RAF file to fileLength, and creates "null" students in
     * all records
     */
    public void initialize() throws IOException
    {
        try
        {
            raf.setLength(fileLength);
 
            tempStudent = nullStudent();
 
            for (int i = 1; i < numOfRecords; i++)
            {
                writeRecord(tempStudent, i);
            }
        }
        catch (IOException e)
        {
            throw e;
        }
    }
 
    /**
     * Returns "null" student
     */
    public Student nullStudent() throws IOException
    {
        String username = "null";
        String homeroom = "null";
        int id = 0;
        boolean gender = false;
        String birthdate = "null";
        String birthplace = "null";
        int locker = 0;
        int yearGrade = 0;
        int graduationYear = 0;
        String house = "null";
        String email = "null";
        String lastName = "null";
        String firstName = "null";
 
        //creates "null" student
        tempStudent = new Student(username, homeroom, id, gender,
                birthdate, birthplace, locker,
                yearGrade, graduationYear, house,
                email, lastName, firstName);
 
        return tempStudent;
    }
 
    /**
     * Read a Student at some offset
     */
    public Student readRecord(int offset) throws IOException
    {
        try
        {
            // Seek to the position
            raf.seek(offset * recordSize);
 
            // Read the Username into a byte[]
            byte[] usernameTemp = new byte[Student.USERNAME_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(usernameTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String username = new String(usernameTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the homeroom into a byte[]
            byte[] homeroomTemp = new byte[Student.HOMEROOM_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(homeroomTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String homeroom = new String(homeroomTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the id and gender
            int id = raf.readInt();
            boolean gender = raf.readBoolean();
 
            // Read the birthdate into a byte[]
            byte[] birthdateTemp = new byte[Student.BIRTHDATE_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(birthdateTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String birthdate = new String(birthdateTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the birthplace into a byte[]
            byte[] birthplaceTemp = new byte[Student.BIRTHPLACE_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(birthplaceTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String birthplace = new String(birthplaceTemp).trim();
 
            //Read the locker, year grade and graduation year
            int locker = raf.readInt();
            int yearGrade = raf.readInt();
            int graduationYear = raf.readInt();
 
            // Read the house into a byte[]
            byte[] houseTemp = new byte[Student.HOUSE_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(houseTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String house = new String(houseTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the email into a byte[]
            byte[] emailTemp = new byte[Student.EMAIL_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(emailTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String email = new String(emailTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the lastName into a byte[]
            byte[] lastNameTemp = new byte[Student.LASTNAME_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(lastNameTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String lastName = new String(lastNameTemp).trim();
 
            // Read the firstName into a byte[]
            byte[] firstNameTemp = new byte[Student.FIRSTNAME_BYTES];
            raf.readFully(firstNameTemp);
 
            // Convert the byte[] to a String
            String firstName = new String(firstNameTemp).trim();
 
            // Create a new Student object
            Student tempStudent = new Student(username, homeroom, id, gender,
                    birthdate, birthplace, locker,
                    yearGrade, graduationYear, house,
                    email, lastName, firstName);
 
            // Return the video
            return (tempStudent);
        }
        catch (IOException e)
        {
            throw e;
        }
    }
 
 
    /**
     * Checks each record for fields. If any are blank, deems record to be empty.
     * Saves first filled record to firstStudent, last filled record to
     * lastStudent, and number of filled records to numOfStudents.
     */
    public void parseRAF() throws IOException
    {
        try
        {
            //Scans whole RAF file
            for (int i = 1; i <= numOfRecords; i++)
            {
                //reads record
                tempStudent = readRecord(i);
 
                /*
                 * saves last record with student as lastStudent, and increments
                 * numOfStudents for each Student read
                 */
                if (checkRecord(tempStudent))
                {
                    lastStudent = i;
                    numOfStudents++;
                }
            }
 
            //Scans RAF file from the end
            for (int i = numOfRecords; i >= 1; i--)
            {
                //reads record
                tempStudent = readRecord(i);
 
                /*
                 * saves earliest record with student as firstStudent
                 */
                if (checkRecord(tempStudent))
                {
                    firstStudent = i;
                }
            }
        } catch (IOException e)
        {
            throw e;
        }
    }