Pecatonica UMC Computer Training Series

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Pecatonica UMC Computer Training Series

• August 2nd, 2008

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File Management

• Where did I put that?

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Improving your computer game

• Many people who would be very proficient computer
  users, lack self confidence when faced with
  understanding files systems and file association.
  This presentation will attempt to remove some of
  the mystery behind working with files/directories
  and thus hopefully help increase the confidence
  level of the average to newbie computer user.
  The concept of file structure is powerful and a
  key to achieving this next level of understanding.

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Agenda

• Why is file management important?
• Introduction to the directory structure of a
  computer
• File associations
• Power Tool for file retrieval
• Creating a great file structure
• Creating great file names
• Downloading and finding files
• Conclusions and homework (uggh)

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Why file management

• Files contain data that has been deemed
  important enough to create/store
• Stored data is only useful if it can be easily
  recovered and used
• Once recovered it must be capable of being
  accessed (message conveyed)?
• Understanding your computers file structures is
  critical to finding this data

In order for data to be useful it must be able to
be easily retrieved and displayed
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Why file management

• So how do we approach file management with the
  previous intentions?
• The answer is found partially in understanding
  the directory structure
• From this structure we can develop powerful
  technics to find our files

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Introduction to the directory structure

• How would you describe to someone how to find an
  article of clothing located somewhere in your
  house?
• The answer depends on where you are
• File structures are similar
• The file root could be the home (file root is the
  very highest level of the file system typically
  c - windows or / for linux/unix)
• The room
• The chest of drawers
• The drawer number/location
• The article of clothing file

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Convention for identifying file location

• MS- Windows
• C\ root of the drive the highest level of
  the directory
• All others are referenced from the next directory
  in the path
• Path is the direction one would take from the
  root directory to get to the file
• Example
• C\my city\my street\my address\my room\my
  dresser\my upper left drawer\my new NASA
  shirt.doc
• The \ identify the stepping into the next
  directory tier

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Directory structures
Location /C/APPS/GAMES/C
A
B
C
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Similarly referenced to a physical location
State
City
Street
House
Room
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Directory structures
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Where is the default data storage

• MS Windows typically uses MY Documents as the
  default root for user data storage
• This isnt the real root of the drive but rather
  a convenient location to store all your data and
  reference the location from
• Some folders may already be created for you
• My Pictures, My Music, My Downloads etc.
• Most users never expand on this directory
  structure

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Create your own directory structure

• Usage of new file command in MS Windows
  Explorer or My Computer
• Allows you to easily create new directories
• New directories can then be inserted inside of
  these new directories
• You have just created your own directory tree.

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What defines a Great File structure

• Documents are easily found!
• When you are looking for a document, a good
  directory structure will practically scream out
  the path or location of the document you are
  looking for.
• At each step of the structure it should be clear
  what next branch of the directory to turn to for
  document retrieval.

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Great file name/structure is winning combination

• A great file structure helps locate a family of
  documents
• Combined with a great file names and the ability
  to do power searches, means never losing a file
  ever again
• (assuming you back up your data but that is
  another story)?

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Examples of Great File Name/Structure

• My Document
• 2008
• Financial
• Accounts
• Checking
• Savings
• 401K
• My personal documents
• Resumes
• Shopping

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Pick Great File Names

• File names should describe the contents inside
• should be short
• Should be alpha-numeric
• Should be concise
• Generally do not use special characters
• Never put a . in your file name (Windows
  interprets this as the beginning of the file
  extension field of the file name)

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Examples of Great/Good File Names

• Aunt_Em_Peanut_butter_cookies_recipe.doc
• My_latest_resume.doc
• Communications June Meeting minutes
• Jimsgrocerylist.pdf
• My_checking_account.xls

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Examples of poor file names

• Default.xls
• Book1.xls
• Document.doc
• Board.doc

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Create your own directory structure
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Create your own directory structure
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Create your own directory structure
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Create your own directory structure

• I have now created a file structure
• My Documents
• Church
• Communications
• Stuff from Don Rose

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Big Jump Here

• How do we know what is inside a file?
• A look at file naming conventions.
• How do I know that I have the right software
  program to open my new file?

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File Names and File Associations

• File names should help to identify contents and
  do identify the application needed to open the
  file
• Similar directory structures that help locate
  contents, file names should describe what is
  inside a file.
• Naming convention xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
• The Xs to the left of the . comprise the file
  name
• The Xs to the right of the . comprise the
  helper application necessary to open the file.

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Common file extensions

• MS Office documents
• .doc word document
• .xls Excel document
• .ppt powerpoint document
• Adobe
• .pdf portable document format (Adobe is most
  common application)?
• Web help (must be in show mode to access
  hyperlink below)?
• This web site can provide help for file
  association questions

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Exploring My Computer (a new tool)?

• The presence of a plus sign indicates the
  presence of lower tier directories
• Click on the plus sign to expand and show the
  list of subdirectories
• Click on the minus sign to collapse the directory
  structure.
• Entire directory structures can be easily copied
  (recursively)?

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Power tools for file finding

• The Search tool is a powerful ally in finding
  lost files.
• Need to refine searches to smallest search area
  practical (lowest level of your structure)
• Results in smaller time increment for searches
• Remember your file structure
• Search for files by date/time/name/extensions
• Class examples for searching
• Review the search window and how to reach it.

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The Search Window
Toggle between Search and Folders
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Where do I find my new USB stick data?

• Find the My Computer icon and double click to
  open.
• If your stick was successfully installed it will
  show up similar to following

Stick Drive
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Downloading and Finding Files

• Caution on downloading files do so from a
  safe location
• Understand the default location for the download
• Otherwise you will not be able to find the errant
  file

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Control over where the document saves
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Note the location that the file downloads to
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Find the file/Open/Use the File

• Once the file is downloaded you are often given
  the option to open it immediately
• However if you attempt to do it later you must be
  able to find it
• Using your Great Directory structure and file
  name techniques this should now be a snap
• What if you dont have what you need to open the
  file?
• Search the file associations web site and locate
  the program type and install if available

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Determine/Change Firefox default download handling
This menu can be found under edit/preferences or
tool/options depending on your version of
firefox.
Download controls are found on the Main Tab
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Determine/Change MS IE default download handling

• Microsoft Internet Explorer does not have a
  control similar to the download control.
• Every time a file is selected for download, the
  following window pops up

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Explorer allows you to select a location and a
name for your new file

• Dont forget where you put this! Click the
  drop-down box to see where your file is really
  going. Select a logical location for your new
  file.

• Choose a different name if you dont like the
  default name.

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Conclusions

• This course has intended to empower and encourage
  the user to employ power skills for creating
  directories and file names
• Using intuitive approach to creating great
  directory structures
• Useful Descriptive File names
• Basic understanding of file extensions and file
  associations
• Resulting in fewer lost files
• Introduction to power search tools
• Dont forget to backup your data! reserved for
  another class

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Homework

• Download files from the following location and
  attempt to find/print them
• Print the first page of the file and provide to
  instructor
• http//www.cse.wustl.edu/schmidt/PDF/reactor-siem
  ens.pdf
• https//www.orchardcountry.com/pdf/cherrypie.pdf
• http//local.yahoo.com/info-17485517-pecatonica-un
  ited-methodist-pecatonica