Data and File Management

• File Basics, an Explanation
• Windows Explorer
• Finding Those Lost Files
• Using Windows Explorer

File Basics, an Explanation
  Your computers hard drive is the device that stores all your files. It is nothing more than a recording device. Everyone has heard of a "C drive", this is the Windows name for a hard drive. It can also be described as the "root". One could compare C:\ to a file cabinet. Let's say this cabinet has 3 drawers, these would be our folders. Our top drawer will be "Windows", middle will be "Program Files", the bottom drawer will be "My Documents". You may have heard the term "path". Below are some paths:

C:\ C:\Windows C:\Program Files C:\My Documents

Every folder or file is contained within C:\ Your Operating systems files are contained here. Additional Programs reside here. Files you create are stored here.

  If we create a file called mylife.doc and place it in C:\My Documents then the path to this file will be:

C:\My Documents\mylife.doc

  If we intend to create many documents to be stored into C:\My Documents it would be advisable to categorize them. One could create folders such as "letters" "mybook" "work". Then files pertaining to these folder names could be stored inside. Examples below:

C:\My Documents\letters\dearjohn.doc

C:\My Documents\mybook\chapter1\chapter1.doc

C:\My Documents\work\proposal.doc


Note: this discussion pertained to C:\. It is possible to "partition" a hard drive into "slices". This could result in one drive containing what appears to be many drives. One could create C:\, D:\, and E:\ on one drive.
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Windows Explorer
  Windows Explorer is THE file management tool to use. This tool has two windows displayed. The left side shows the "drives", the right side displays the contents of the selected drives. Windows Explorer has many configuration options. I feel the easiest way to use this tool is to set it up as follows:

• Click View, select details. This displays more information than the default setting.
• Windows XP: Click tools, folder options.
• Select the view tab
• Check "display full path in title bar"
• Uncheck the two "hide file" boxes
• Select "show all hidden files and folders"

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Finding Those Lost Files
  Finding a "lost" file is easy, as long as you know the name of the file. If you have to download a file for any reason from the Internet simply write down the file name.

• Click Find (Win9x) or Search (Win2k or ME)
• Select Files or Folders
• Type in the name of the file
• Have it "look in" C:\
• Once the results are displayed the path will be shown

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Using Windows Explorer
  When I use Windows Explorer I do 95% of my work in the right pane.

Hints and Tips :

Double Clicking a file either executes it, or opens the associated program so the file can be viewed. I rarely open an application and then hunt for the file. Instead I open Explorer and double click my file.

Multiple files can be selected in several ways.

If you want to select all the files in a folder:

• Click the desired folder in the left pane, the contents will be displayed in the right pane.
• Click a blank spot in the right pane for focus (so Windows knows we are working here)
• Use the CTRL-A command. Hold down the CTRL Key and Hit the A key, this will highlight all the files.

To Select sequential files:

• Click the desired folder in the left pane, the contents will be displayed in the right pane.
• Click the top file you wish to select
• Hold down the shift key
• Click the bottom file, this selects all the files between the top and bottom.

To select random files:

• Click the desired folder in the left pane, the contents will be displayed in the right pane.
• Hold down the CTRL key while selecting or deselecting files.

Many files may be selected and dragged to the left pane at on time, try it.

Create a new folder

• To create a new directory open Explorer and click on C:\ (in the left window) and the "Contents of C:\" appear in the right window.
• Right click on a empty spot in the right window and the options box appears.
  
• Move the mouse to the "New" selection and choose folder.
  
• Left click once while "folder" is highlighted.
  
• A new folder (directory) appears and is ready for you to name
  
• Type in the chosen name (where it says "new folder") it should be high-lighted in blue.
  
• Double click on an empty space to take focus off the new folder. You may now open it.

Moving and Copying Files

• Locate the file you wish to work with in the right pane.
  
• Right click on the file
  
• While holding down on the mouse drag it to the new directory, you work from the right window of Explorer and drag the file to the new directory on the left side
  
• When you let go of the mouse it offers you a choice select, move, or copy
  
• Copy makes a copy of the file, move physically moves the file. Click on the option (left) of your choice.
  
• Double click on the directory and the new file should be there