File Management

Presented to

The Glades Computer Club

January 4, 2001

some basics

• Windows: is the operating system of your computer .. Every program runs in its own window

• 95, 98, 2000 (NT) Me

• desktop, icons (shortcuts) task bar, tray and start button (menu)

Windows

Elements: control menu, title bar, minimize/maximize/close, standard menu bar, scrollbar, scroll arrows, workspace

Display options

• right click on desktop

• click on tabs to select

• change screen savers, settings, colors, etc.

• press “ok” or apply and ok, when done

My Computer

• right click and choose properties to see info about your computer and how much memory (RAM) you have

• Performance tab tells you how much memory is is being used at the time

TIPS

The number one computing rule for beginners:

read the screen!

options• single or double click? • you could right click on an icon and choose

“open” from the menu, or you could click once on the icon to “highlight” it and then press the “enter” key on your keyboard.

• Win98+ allows you to change your settings (not 95)

Explorer>View>Folder options>custom settings

Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer is an application that you use to view all the folders and files on your computer.

You can access Windows Explorer in many ways. The most common way is through the Start menu. Click on Start > Programs > Windows Explorer .

It’s faster to right click on the my computer icon and select “Explore”.

File Management• Explorer may look different on every

computer • the info on the HDD is organized in

directories and subdirectories (*folders*) with files or documents inside .. like a file cabinet.

(You can also use “My Computer” for file management. )

Explorer - the view

• Two panes: left is directory tree right are details

• uncheck “as a web page” and click “details”

• plus signs – expand the tree

• minus signs – collapse the tree

Drive letters

• A: floppy• B: old 5-1/4 real floppy• C: HDD• D: could be a partition of the HDD• E: could be a back up drive (Zip)• F: CD-ROM• G: burner• networks: server

file extensions/associations

• All files have a three letter extension on the end of them. They all mean something!

• e.g: .exe .txt. .doc. .gif• windows “associates” all files with an

application. • i.e. double click on a file name in Explorer

and it will open the associated program and load the file in it.

File Extensions.exe - executable – is the program.doc – Microsoft Word “document” .txt - text .pdf - portable document file (acrobat).dll - dynamic link library - a driver.wpd Word Perfect document.ppt – power point presentationbmp, gif, jpg - graphics fileshtm - web page file

changing associations1. view > folder options>file types 2. select a type and click “edit”3. select action (open) click “edit”4. find path to executable

It’s easier to use file manager for this:start - run - type “winfile”

C drive

• Your main drive with Windows and the programs and files on it.

• Files or folders that are found directly under the C:\ are said to be in the “root directory”

create a new folder

• click on C or the folder where you want to create the new folder

• flick: file>new>folder• folder will appear – type in the

name• click

organize your stuff

• cut/copy/paste • can “select” more that one file at a time

by holding the ctrl key• with mouse -edit > copy then go to

destination - edit > paste • with keyboard ctrl-C then click to

destination and ctrl-V.

Send to – delete - undo

right click on a file - send to - 31/2 floppy A will copy the file to your floppy disk

Delete files by select and press delete on keyboard or file > delete

Undo your last action – edit > undo

dragging• files can be moved or copied by

dragging.• click on a file, hold down the mouse

button and drag to its new destination. • dragging to a new drive letter (c to a)

will always copy • dragging within same drive will move

it

Dragging-continued

• to be sure to copy (not move) hold down the ctrl key at the same time as dragging

• watch for the little plus (+) sign!!• To be sure you move (not copy) - hold

down shift key at the same time you drag

new shortcut

to quickly add a new shortcut to your desktop find the executable file in Window Explorer and copy it to the desktop.

Be sure you did not move it! (win98)

new shortcut two

• Find the .exe file in Explorer

• Rt. click – create new shortcut

• Drag your new shortcut out to the desktop

new shortcut 3

• Right click on desktop• New – shortcut• “Browse” Explorer for the .exe file

of the program you want• Name your shortcut and you are

done

Explorer in dialog boxes

• Save/save as, open and attach files “Save As” is used the first time you save a

file. It lets you choose a filename and location for the document you’re saving.

“Save” saves a document you’ve previously saved, writing directly over (and

obliterating) the earlier version.

Save as

Use the Save As option to make a copy of an existing document:

E.g. you’ve finished writing a report and saved it on your hard disk. You can use the Save As command to make a copy of this document in a different location, such as on a floppy disk, or in same directory with a different name.

Save as -continued

When you use “save as”, you will then be working on that doc, not your original!

It’s important to keep track of which file you’re working on so you don’t end up editing the document on floppy and leaving your original out-of-date. One way to ensure you don’t edit the wrong version is to change the name of the copy of the document.

Save as

1 drop down box

2 choose where to save

3 name/rename your file

4 press save

Other dialog boxes

“Open” and “Attach”

they are all basically all the same … you use win-explorer

read the screen!

file > open

Finding files!

• use the “find” utility:In Explorer - tools - find –files or folders or right click on my computer and select findor start>find>files or folders• search by name, text string, date or size• you don’t need to type the whole file name

Find files

Thank you!

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