Module 1.

4
File management
 Contents
• Introduction
• File/Windows Explorer
• The need to organise
• More about files
• Working with files and folders
• Test and improve
• Module activities

2
 Introduction

Computer work is
saved in files

Electronic files need to

be organised, just as
in a manual filing
system

3
 File/Windows Explorer
File management program supplied with all
Windows operating systems
Back and Forward
4

Address bar
1 3
2
Search box

5 Toolbar and menu

bar (Ribbon)

Left (Navigation) pane

6

Right (Details) pane

4
Activities 1 & 2

5
 The need to organise
Plan your basic folder structure on paper
or use SmartArt in Word

• Main folders: School & Personal

• Add subfolders as needed
• Refine each level
• Meaningful folder and file
names
• Keep same folder structure on all
computers you use

6
Activity 3

7
 More about files
• Each program stores the files it creates in its own way.
• Each file type is given a unique icon.

Class.JPG IntroComputers.pptx Invoice.xlsx Letter.docx Names.txt

8
 More about files
File name consists of three parts:

Birthday List . docx

name extension
dot
Name: as given by the user
Extension: three or four letter code
May consist of all the alphabetical that identifies the file type
characters, some special
Automatically added by the
characters, the digits (0 to 9), and
program when you save the file
spaces

9
 More about files
The file extension indicates
• what type of file it is, and
• which program should be used to open it

Never change the file extension of an existing file

MANUALLY

10
 More about files
Windows can’t open this
file!
To open this file you can:
• See list of suggested programs
• Search Internet for suitable
program
• Change or set default program
• Right-click file and use Open
With command

11
 More about files
Paths

D drive
The path to a specific file might be ...
Documents
D:\ Documents \ Invoices \ 2017
Invoices
2017

12
 More about files
File type File extension
Graphics jpeg, jpg, bmp, gif, tiff, png
Office docx, xlsx, pptx, accdb
Audio mp3, wav, cda, wma
Common file Video mp4, mpeg, asf, wmv, avi
types and Program exe, com
Portable Document pdf
extensions Format
Compressed zip, rar
(Plain) text txt
Rich Text Format rtf
Hypertext Markup html, xhtml
Language

13
 More about files
Common file types and extensions

14
 Working with files
• Copy or Move The main operations
on files and folders
• Delete

• Rename

• Sort

15
Activity 4

16
 Working with files
The Recycle Files deleted from the hard drive are
Bin automatically sent to the Recycle Bin.
You can recover a file if you have not
emptied the Recycle Bin 
But look out!
Files deleted from a network drive or
from removable media (e.g. flash
drive) are NOT sent to the Recycle
Bin.

17
 Working with files
You can create a shortcut to any file, folder
or resource such as a printer

• In ‘Extra large icons’ view in

Explorer, shortcuts appear with an
arrow in the bottom left corner.
• A shortcut only points to the
original item – it is not the item
itself

18
 Working with files
Work smarter – use the keyboard

<Ctrl><X> Cut
<Ctrl><C> Copy
Use Shift to select
<Ctrl><V> Paste adjacent files
<Ctrl><A> Select All
Use Ctrl to select
non-adjacent files

19
 Working with files
Converting between file types

‘Save as type’ options in Word

Save the file in a format
that can be read by other
types of programs

This allows us to
• Share data
• Access the data with an
older operating system

20
Activity 5

21
 Test and improve
Summary – concepts, terms and tips
Planning a
File path
logical file File names
structure

Common file
Network File
types and
drives properties
extensions

Convert file
Recycle Bin Shortcuts
types

22
Written module activity

23