1. Chapter 7
Working with Files

2. What’s inside and on the CD?
This chapter helps you to understand:
How to best name your files
Where to store them
How to access them
How to maintain an orderly set of files on your disks
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

3. Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7
What’s a file?
A file is a collection of data that:
Has a name
Is stored on:
A computer disk
Tape CD
DVD
USB flash drive
Virtually all information is stored as a file
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

4. Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7
What’s a file?
Files divided into two categories
An executable file is a program containing instructions that tells PC how to perform specific tasks
A data file contains words, numbers, and pictures you can manipulate
There are several ways to access data files
Open option on application software’s File menu
Start menu’s Documents option
Windows Explorer’s file management utility
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

5. Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7
What’s a file?
Every file has file properties that describe its:
Name
Type
Location
Size
Dates created, modified, and last accessed
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

6. Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7
What’s a file?
Files can be:
Read-only – cannot be modified or deleted
Hidden – does not appear in file lists and cannot be used unless you know name and location
Marked for archiving for backup
Protected by passwords against unauthorized access
File properties are assigned by the operating system
Files created in Windows Vista can have descriptive tags assigned by users
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

7. Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7
What’s a file?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

8. Can I use any name for a file?
As you create documents, graphs, and pictures, PC holds in memory
When transferring to permanent storage, you must assign unique name
To check limitations for an application, check Help or reference manual
With current versions of Windows, you can use long file names (descriptive file names)
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

9. Can I use any name for a file?
In long file names, some symbols and file names are not allowed
HW2: Why these names are not allowed?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

10. Can I use any name for a file?
A file extension is a set of characters added to file name to indicate file’s type or origin
A file extension is separated from file name by period and is typically three characters long
A default file extension is automatically assigned unless you change it
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

11. Can I use any name for a file?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

12. How do I change the name of a file?
How to display the file extension
Process of changing file name in Windows Explorer is called “renaming”
Process is straightforward except for small twist involving extensions
Windows may show extensions or not
To change setting
Select Folder Options from Windows Explorer Tools menu (XP)
Use the Organize button to access folder and Search Options (Vista)
If file extension is seen, than you must include file extension with new name
If file extension is not seen, extension is added automatically by Windows
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

13. How do I change the name of a file?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

14. How do I get a list of my files?
In Windows Vista, you can use a folder window to view a list of files and organize them
The quickest way to view a list of files is to click your user name on the Start menu
The Views button changes the way the file list is displayed
Icon View
List View
Details View
Titles View
A folder window can be customized by clicking the Organize button
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

15. How do I get a list of my files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

16. How do I get a list of my files?
In Windows XP, the preferred way to display folder windows is by starting Windows Explorer
Right-click Start button
Click Explorer
Windows Explorer is divided into two panes
Folders pane
Files pane
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

17. How do I get a list of my files?
Click gray heading bars to rearrange the list
The Views button on the View menu changes the way the file list is displayed:
Thumbnails View shows tiny versions of graphic files
Tiles View displays large icon for each file, plus file name, type, and size
Icons View displays medium-sized icon for each file and its name
List View displays file name with small icon indicating type
Details View displays file name, size, type, and date modified
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

18. How do I get a list of my files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

19. How do I navigate to various folders and storage devices?
Most files are stored on a computer’s hard disk
To transport a file, you might store it on a USB flash drive or CD
To share, you might store it on network drive
Each storage device identified by letter
Hard disk drive is letter C
Windows uses icons to indicate storage device types
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

20. How do I navigate to various folders and storage devices?
Most files on storage device organized into folders (“directory”)
Can hold other folders called subfolders
Resulting hierarchical structure
Device letter, folder, file name, and extension – known as path – provide information necessary to store and retrieve a file
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

21. How do I navigate to various folders and storage devices?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

22. How do I navigate to various folders and storage devices?
In Windows Vista
Click a icon to expand the directory hierarchy and show subfolders
Click a icon to collapse the directory and hide subfolders
In Windows XP
Click plus-sign icon to expand directory hierarchy and show subfolders
Click minus-sign icon to collapse directory and hide subfolders
Click device or folder to open it or display list of files it contains
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23. How do I find a specific file?
If you know the folder where a file is stored, use a folder window or Windows Explorer to open folder
Use the Windows Vista Search box or Windows XP’s Search Companion
Vista’s Search box allows you to enter all or part of a file name
Search Companion allows you to search for a file by:
Name
Phrase contained in file
Search:
Entire disk or specific folder
By date and size
Search Companion displays list of files matching your criteria; double-click any file to open it
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

24. How do I find a specific file?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

25. How do I find a specific file?
Search wildcard helps when you don’t know exact title or phrase for file
* wildcard stands for series of unknown characters
? wildcard stands for single unknown character
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26. What’s the best organization for my files?
Key to organizing files is to create clearly structured set of files
If number becomes difficult to manage, create additional folders and move files into them
In Windows Vista, click Organize button and then click New Folder
In Windows XP, click the File menu, then select New
When you move file, Windows places it on Windows Clipboard
After selecting new location, Windows “pastes” it to new location
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

27. What’s the best organization for my files?
Helpful hints to improve files organization:
Use descriptive names for files and folders
Always store your data files in a folder
Whenever possible, store your files in your personal folders
Create subfolders of your personal folders as necessary
Try not to store your data files in the folders that contain program modules
Delete unneeded files and folders
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

28. What’s the best organization for my files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

29. What’s the best organization for my files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

30. How do I delete files and folders?
When files or folders are no longer needed, delete them so hard disk drive works more efficiently
To delete a file, simply right-click it and select Delete from shortcut menu
You can delete folder same way but be aware that all files in folder are deleted
If Windows displays a “Disk Full” message, empty Recycle Bin before deleting hard drive files
Deleted files from hard disk are retrievable from Recycle Bin
Files from other devices, such as USB flash drives, are not retrievable
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31. How do I delete files and folders?
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32. How do I back up important files?
You need a backup plan to recover data wiped out by operator errors, viruses, or hardware failures
Backup is usually stored on different storage medium from original files
Today, backups are usually stored on CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives, or Web sites
File synchronization
Restore points
Recovery disk
Backup software is a set of utility programs designed to back up and restore some or all of the files on a computer’s primary storage device
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

33. How do I back up important files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

34. How do I back up important files?
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

35. How do I solve common problems encountered when working with files?
File can’t be found
Cannot modify a file
Access denied
Cannot open a shared file
Cannot open a locked or encrypted file
Cannot open a corrupted file
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7

36. How do I solve common problems encountered when working with files?
Bad sectors
Hard disk failure
“Can’t read file” error message
Practical Computer Literacy, 2nd edition Chapter 7