Computers Are Your Future

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

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Computers Are Your Future Spotlight 4

Computers Are Your Future

Spotlight 4

File Management

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Computers Are Your Future Spotlight 4

File Management

Good file management skills are a hallmark of a competent computer user.

File management essentials: The big picture of file management The specifics of actually managing files

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The Big Picture: Files, Folders, and Paths

A file is a named unit of digital data stored in a computer system.

Files are organized in directories or folders.

Folders may have subfolders, or folders within folders.

Files and folders reside on a storage device called a drive.

The computer follows a path to find a file.

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File Naming Conventions

Each file needs a specific filename. The filename has two parts:

The name The extension

The extension identifies the type of data the file contains.

Example filename: plant_diseases.doc

Name Extension

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Commonly Used Extensions

Extension File Type

.exe Program Application

.doc Microsoft Word

.xls Microsoft Excel

.ppt Microsoft PowerPoint

.mdb Microsoft Access

.pdf Adobe

.txt Simple Text

.htm or .html Web Pages

.rtf Rich Text Format

.jpeg or .jpg Image Format

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Managing Files

Files are managed in two ways: Using a file management utility From within the programs that create them

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File Management Utilities

My Computer is the main file management utility.

Left Pane – Displays links to system tasks

Right Pane – Lists stored files and devices attached to the computer

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The window changes to enable file management tasks.

File Management ModeTo change My Computer to file management mode, Click the Folders button on the Standard toolbar.

Left Pane – Displays the names of the drives and folders

Right Pane – Displays the folders and files

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Folders View

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Thumbnail View

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Details View

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Formatting

Makes a disk functional PC cannot read a Macintosh disk Erases everything

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Creating Folders

A folder can be created in two steps (click to view).

Step 2. Choose File, New, and then Folder

Step 1. Click on the drive in which you want to create a folder

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Transferring Folders and FilesThere are two basic ways to transfer your files and folders (click to view)

Method 1

To copy or move the files and folders, right-drag them to the new location.

Method 2

To move the files and folders within the same drive, left-drag them to the new location.

When left-dragging between drives, a copy is created.

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Backing Up

Copy files to save data. Create intermediate copies as you work.

File, Save As Every 15 to 20 minutes Append filename with a number

Drag a copy of file to floppy disk or CD-R.

Use backup software.

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When using the File, Open menu sequence in an application, the Open dialog box displays icons for creating new folders and deleting files.

Right-clicking on a file in the Open dialog box enables file management tasks from a pop-up menu.

Managing Files from within Programs

File management icons

File management menu

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Save and Save As Commands

Use the Save command whenever you want to save a file that you created or modified. The program will either create a new file or replace the

file stored on a disk.

The first time a file is saved, the program defaults to the Save As dialog box because the drive, path, and filename must be designated.

After the initial save, the Save As command is used whenever you want to change the drive, path, and/or filename; it is also used to create backup files.

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Managing E-mail

Create mail folders

Use sorting features

Use find command