Lesson 9: Managing Files and Folders

DEFINITIONS
Drive – The piece of hardware that holds and runs disks; used as a top-level location criterion for a file.
Your "hard disk" or "hard drive" is usually designated with the letter "C," while your floppy disk/drive is
usually named "A."
File – One document, one image, one something. In the world of computing, the terms “folder” and “file”
are entirely separate, distinct, and non-interchangeable. Folders contain files; files cannot contain folders.
Files are represented by various icons that indicate which program is used to open them:
File extension – The two or three or four letters after the dot in a filename. The file extension indicates
what kind of file it is: its “format” or “type.” For instance, the file extension .exe refers to an "executable"
file--in other words, an application. The file extension .html indicates a Hypertext Markup Language file--in
other words, a web page. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, double-clicking on a file will open it if the
file extension is correct. Some common file extensions:

Documents: Media:  .avi – video

 .docx – MS Word 2007  .mp3 – music  .mpeg – video
 .xlsx – MS Excel 2007  .mp4 – music / video  .gif - picture
 .pptx – MS PowerPoint 2007  .jpg – picture
 .pub – MS Publisher  .png – picture Executable:
 .wpd – Word Perfect  .bmp – picture  .exe
 .txt – Plain text document  .wma – music  .com
 .wav – music  .msi
Others:  .mov – video  .bat
 .html / .htm – Web Page  .3gp – video  .vbs
 .php – web page / php
Filename – The name of a file, including or not including its file extension.
File Size – The size of a file measured in bytes. A floppy disk holds about 1.5 Mb; a Zip disk holds 100
Mb or 250 Mb; a CD holds about 800 Mb; a DVD holds about 4,700 Mb.
ƒ 1,000 bytes = 1 kilobyte (Kb)
ƒ 1,000 kilobytes = 1 megabyte (Mb)
ƒ 1,000 megabytes = 1 gigabyte (Gb)
ƒ 1,000 gigabytes = 1 terabyte (Tb)
Folder – Also “directory.” A division of a drive into which you put files or further folders (which are
then called subdirectories). In both Windows and Mac, a folder or subfolder is represented by an icon
that looks like a manila folder:
Path – The exact location of a file, including drive letter, directory, subdirectory, and filename, as in the
following:
F:\Hinayon\Magdayao\Arnaiz\Sample.docx

MANAGING FILES IN WINDOWS

There are three ways of managing files in Windows operating systems:
ƒ From within a program;
ƒ By using My Computer; and
ƒ By using Windows Explorer.

Managing files from within a program

When you choose “File” & “Save As” from within a program such as Microsoft Word, a dialogue
box appears with three important features:
 “Save in” (near the top of the box) - A dropdown box that brings up your computer’s directory
structure, to allow you to choose where to save your file.
 “File name” (near the bottom of the box) - Allows you to type in a name for your file.
 Save as type” (at the bottom of the box) - A dropdown box that allows you to choose a format
(type) for your file. The default file format will appear with the default file extension.

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 These three options also Save In
appear when you choose
“File” & “Open” from
within Microsoft Word, but
they have slightly different
names. Other programs will
have the same three
options, which again might
have slightly different
names.

Using My Computer
Double-clicking on the Computer icon, which should be located in the upper left-hand
corner of your desktop, will open a window labeled Computer. From within this
window, you can open, move, copy, and delete files; you can also create, move, copy,
and delete folders. Double- clicking on any folder icon also opens My Computer, but
you will see the contents of that directory rather than the contents of your computer. In
Windows 7, opening
Computer or Folder icon
also means Exploring
the computer.
At the “top” level of
the directory structure
are the drives,
View Butt
differentiated by letters.
Go to "View Button" at
the top of the window
to change the way files
and folders are
displayed within the
window. There are four
or more ways to view
files and folders, such
as:
o Large icons
o Small icons
o List – Choose this
when you want to
work with several files or folders at a time
o Details – This is a good mode to work in when you want to see when the file was created, its size, and
other important information.

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Parts of My Computer Window

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 Working with More than One File
To select two or more separate files, hold down the "Ctrl" key and click on each filename. To select a
contiguous group of files in a list, click on the first filename, then hold down the "Shift" key and click on
the last filename. All files in between will also be selected. You can then perform cut, copy, and delete
functions on all the selected files.
Locating Lost Files
Use the "Search" facility of your operating system by going to "Start" > Search Programs and Files
bar or Open Computer and go to Search Computer facility at the top right portion of the computer
window. It allows you to search for a file by name, by part of its name (use * as a wildcard character), by
location, by date, by type, or by other criteria.
Right-clicking
Right-clicking on a selected file or folder will allow you to do several useful things, among which are
the following:
 Rename a file or folder by choosing “Rename.” A blinking cursor will appear in the file or folder
name.
 Create a desktop shortcut by choosing “Send To” > “Desktop as Shortcut.”
 Copy the file or folder to a Flash Drives by choosing "Send To” > “FlashDrive."
 Cut, copy, paste, or print a file.
 View Properties
Create a new folder
Folders are a convenient way to store and organize files on your computer. For example, you'll probably
want to create folders within the Documents and Pictures folders to help you manage your files. You can
create any number of folders and even store folders inside other folders. Folders located inside other folders are
often called subfolders.
1. Go to the location (either a folder or the desktop) where you want to create a new folder.
2. Right-click a blank area on the desktop or in the folder window, point to New, and then Click Folder. Or
Press Ctrl + Shift + N.
3. Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER.
The new folder you created appears in the location you specified.

Activity:
1. A letter was sent to John has mistakenly been saved in the My Documents folder (very common). The letter is
named “Dear John”. We want to move it from the My Documents folder to the drive d: in a folder named
Letters and subfolder John.
2. You’ve taken three photos of your dog Cassie which are on the camera’s memory card. You want to transfer the
photos from the memory card to your computer and store them in a folder called Cassie. The My Pictures folder
is a default folder within My Documents that has already set up by Microsoft. You will have to set up a Cassie
folder in "My Pictures". Go to My Documents My Pictures. In the My Pictures folder go to File New
Folder and set up a new folder titled Cassie (or alternatively click on New folder on the toolbar).
3. Your data has been saved to the "My Documents" folder and you want to backup the contents of the "My
Documents" folder to an external hard drive. Plug in and turn on your external hard drive. Access the external
hard drive, set up a folder and name it "My Documents Copy". In the "My Documents Copy" folder in the
external hard drive set up another folder and name it the current date. In this case 3-13-11. Into this folder we
will copy the entire contents of the "My Documents" folder on the C drive.
4. Copy a file/s or folder/s from documents folder to newly created folder in drive D.
5. Use Search facility to locate a lost file/s in you computer.
Using Keyboard
Navigating Microsoft Windows using the keyboard for many of the commonly performed tasks can
dramatically increase your productivity. In addition, a situation may arise when the mouse stops working or you
need to work on a computer with no mouse.
Opening the start button - Windows key or CTRL + ESC
Opening a program on the desktop – TAB > Enter

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Closing a window - CTRL + F4 or ALT + Spacebar
Minimizing a window – Alt + Spacebar
Maximizing a window - Alt + Spacebar
Switch between opened application / Restore a window from taskbar – Alt + Tab
Moving a window – Alt + Spacebar
Navigating between fields and buttons on a window – Tab Key and Arrow Key

Manipulating and moving through text

Arrow keys - move the cursor up, down, left, or right in the document.
CTRL and Arrow keys - Move the cursor one word or one paragraph at a time.
End and Home keys – End and Beginning of document
Shift key - Pressing Shift + Arrow keys highlights the texts.

Using Mouse
Basic parts
A mouse typically has two buttons: a primary button (usually the left button) and a secondary button
(usually the right button). The primary button is the one you will use most often. Most mice also include a
scroll wheel between the buttons to help you scroll through documents and webpages more easily. On some
mice, the scroll wheel can be pressed to act as a third button. Advanced mice might have additional buttons that
can perform other functions.

Holding and moving the mouse

Place your mouse beside your keyboard on a clean, smooth surface, such as a mouse pad. Hold the
mouse gently with your index finger resting on the primary button and your thumb resting on the side. To move
the mouse, slide it slowly in any direction.
Pointing, clicking, and dragging
Pointing to an item on the screen means moving your mouse so the pointer appears to be touching the
item. When you point to something, a small box often appears that describes the item. The pointer can change
depending on what you're pointing to.

Most mouse actions combine pointing with pressing one of the mouse buttons. There are four basic
ways to use your mouse buttons: clicking, double-clicking, right-clicking, and dragging.
1. Clicking (single-clicking)
To click an item, point to the item on the screen, and then press and release the primary button (usually
the left button). Clicking is most often used to select (mark) an item or open a menu. This is sometimes called
single-clicking or left-clicking.
2. Double-clicking
To double-click an item, point to the item on the screen, and then click twice quickly. If the two clicks
are spaced too far apart, they might be interpreted as two individual clicks rather than as one double-click.
Double-clicking is most often used to open items on your desktop.
3. Right-clicking
To right-click an item, point to the item on the screen, and then press and release the secondary button
(usually the right button). Right-clicking an item usually displays a menu or list of things you can do with the
item.
4. Dragging
You can move items around your screen by dragging them. To drag an object, point to the object on the
screen, press and hold the primary button, move the object to a new location, and then release the primary
button. Dragging (sometimes called dragging and dropping) is most often used to move files and folders to a
different location and to move windows and icons around on your screen.
Using the scroll wheel
If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use it to scroll through documents and webpages. To scroll down, roll
the wheel backward (toward you). To scroll up, roll the wheel forward (away from you).

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Tips for using your mouse safely
Holding and moving your mouse properly can help you avoid soreness or injury to your wrists, hands, and
arms, particularly if you use your computer for long periods of time. Here are some tips to help you avoid
problems:
 Place your mouse at elbow level. Your upper arms should fall relaxed at your sides.
 Don't squeeze or grip your mouse tightly. Hold it lightly.
 Move the mouse by pivoting your arm at your elbow. Avoid bending your wrist up, down, or to the
sides.
 Use a light touch when clicking a mouse button.
 Keep your fingers relaxed. Don't allow them to hover just above the buttons.
 When you don't need to use the mouse, don't hold it.
 Take short breaks from computer use every 15 to 20 minutes.
Activity:
Open Paint application and draw a figure using your mouse.

Data Backup

What is backup and why back up data?

Simply backup means that you have a copy of data stored somewhere else meaning 2 copies. If one copy
fails then the second copy could be used which is unlikely to fail at the same time as the first copy unless of
course a natural disaster happens. Data backup is easily a important aspect of computer security. Another thing
to note is natural disasters. This may be unlikely but it does happen. When you backup data try and keep it at 2
places rather than one but at the same time keep it secure from any unauthorized people. There are a lot of ways
in which you could back up your data and it is not a really difficult process as people may think. Also
depending on the amount of data you have it is wise to take into account future data and make a decision on
what size you need for a backup copy of existing data.

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