Windows File Management

Windows File Management

Class Description This is an introductory class for those who know how the basics of using a computer, but need help finding and organizing files of all sorts: pictures, documents, spreadsheets, music, videos, and more. Much of the lesson can be transferred to non-Windows computers, but the focus is on Microsoft Windows.

Class Length One to one-half (1?) hours.

Introduction One of the most frustrating things about using a computer can be trying to find a file you know was on your computer. That there are so many different locations for saving files doesn't make it easy. This class will look at how you can organize your files in a way which works for you and how you can locate hard-to-find files.

Objectives Learn the meaning of `drive', `folder', and `path' Learn how to use Windows/File Explorer o How to select multiple files o How to move files from one destination to another o How to copy files from one destination to another o How to move files to the Recycle Bin o How to permanently delete files How to search for files Acquire ideas for effective organization of files

This is a handout for you to keep. Please feel free to use it for taking notes.

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The `File Cabinets' on Your Computer

Most people find it easier to understand something new by relating it to something familiar. Perhaps the best familiar

thing which can be related to digital files and folders is an office filing system: a file room with rows of file cabinets; each

file cabinet with multiple drawers; each drawer with many hanging folders; one or more manila folders in each hanging

folder; and papers inside the manila folders.

How does this work for a Windows-based (Macs, too) computer? Think of the computer as the file room; various drives as rows of file cabinets; folders on a drive as an individ- ual file cabinet; a subfolder* as a file cabinet drawer; a sub-subfolder* as a hanging folder; a sub-sub-subfolder* as a manila folder; a computer file as piece(s) of paper.

* when using the Windows operating system, we sometimes talk of `subfolders', but don't normally go beyond that. Most folders are subfolders of another folder.

There are two important differences between an office filing system and a computer file

system: (1) computer file systems have no practical limit to the number of organizing levels, whereas one does not

normally put a manila folder inside a manila folder which is the lowest organizing level; and (2) in computer file systems,

any organizing level can contain both files and a practically unlimited number of subfolders, whereas one normally

places every piece of paper inside a manila folder (not in a hanging folder outside a manila folder, or in a file cabinet

drawer outside a hanging folder, or between file cabinet drawers, etc.).

The Windows operating system includes an application for working with files and folders. In Windows 7 and before, it is called `Windows Explorer'. Beginning with Windows 8, it is called `File Explorer'. There are some slight differences in Windows/File Explorer in different versions of Windows, but they all have the same basic purpose: to create, move, delete, and rename both files and folders -- to manage files and folders.

The Windows operating system has some special folders: some are for content (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Downloads, etc.); others are system folders (Desktop, Recycle Bin).

Tip: the more content (size, not number of files) stored on the Desktop (including background images), the slower the computer will run.

Windows-based computers use drives to organize files and assigns a letter to each (A-Z, thus a limit of 26 drives). Typically, the letters `A' and `B' are reserved for floppy drives (rarely used today) and `C' is reserved for the Windows operating system. Other letters are used for additional hard drives, network locations, removable storage (e.g. optical drives, `thumb' drives, external drives), etc.

There is no one way to organize files and folders.

Windows 10: File Explorer

Windows 7: Windows Explorer

You need to find a system which works for you.

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Every drive in Windows can contain one or more files and/or one or more folders. Every folder can contain one or more files and/or one or more (sub)folders. For file and folder names, Windows ignores letter case (most other operating systems are case sensitive, i.e. SAMPLE.TXT, Sample.TXT, and sample.TXT are different and can coexist in the same folder). All the names in a folder, files and sub-folders, must be unique.

Naming Rules & Restrictions

Don't obsess over these rules. This section is for those wondering why an error message appeared or a name was changed from what was typed and for those who want some nitty-gritty details.

The earliest versions of Windows used 8.3 (`eight dot three') filenames: up to eight characters, followed by a dot/period, then ending in a `file extension' of three or less characters, identifying the type of file (applications normally add this automatically when saving files). Some (older) applications still use this format.

File extensions may now exceed three characters. They are used by the Windows operating system and by Windows/File Explorer to identify the type of file and the application associated with it and displays this by using an icon from the file's application and (`Details' view only) to supply the information in the `Type' column (e.g. `Microsoft Excel Worksheet'). The entire file name, including the dot/period and the file extension is limited to 255 characters.

Restrictions: Windows has several

reserved characters which cannot be

used in the names of file or folders:

< > (less than and greater than)

:

(colon)

"

(double quote)

/ \ (forward slash and backslash)

|

(vertical bar or pipe)

?

( question mark)

*

(asterisk)

Neither a period nor a blank space

may be used at the end of a file

name or folder name. A blank space

cannot be used at the beginning of a

file name or folder name. File names

may begin with a period, but folder

names may not.

There are also reserved names: con prn aux nul com, followed by one digit, 1-9 lpt, followed by one digit, 1-9

Using Windows/File Explorer

Windows/File Explorer can be launched by clicking on the folder in

the Taskbar (circled at right). It can also be launched by clicking the

Start button and start typing windows explorer (Windows 7 and earlier) or file explorer (Windows 8 and

later) until the name appears in the menu and then clicking on the name

J with the mouse or, after ensuring the name is highlighted, pressing the i e key; or by using the keyboard shortcut + (hold the Windows key down, e press , then release both keys).

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Windows/File Explorer Layouts

File Explorer (Windows 8 and later)

Navigation pane

Column headings

Back, forward, & up buttons Search box

Ribbon

Status bar

Address bar File list

Preview OR Details pane

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Windows Explorer (Windows 7)

Navigation pane

Search box

Back & forward buttons Details pane

Toolbar

Preview pane

Address bar

Display options

File list

Preview pane toggle

Column headings

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Views

The previous page showed the `Details' view for both. It shows only information about the files and folders.

The `Extra large icons' (not shown), `Large icons' (left, top), and `Medium icons' (right, top) are similar; `Small icons' (left, middle) loses the thumbnail icon, but a large thumbnail can be displayed in the `Details pane'. The `Tiles' view (right, middle) has both thumbnail icons and some information about the file.

The `List' view (left, bottom) is good for seeing a lot of items. The `Content' view (right, bottom) contains a bit more information than the `Tiles' view, but displays fewer items.

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Navigation pane ? used to access hard drives, `libraries' (Windows 7 only), folders, devices & drives attached to your PC, saved searches. The Favorites (Windows 7, shortcuts can be renamed) or Quick access (Windows 10, shortcuts can not be renamed)) section works like a web browser's bookmarks and will jump to a saved folder. Any item displayed in the Navigation pane can be a target for moving/copying files to a specific location. To add an item to Favorites/Quick access, go to the location, then right click on Favorites/ Quick access to open a context menu:

Then left click on `Add current location to Favorites' (Windows 7) or `Pin current folder to Quick access' (Windows 10). Back, forward, (up) buttons ? used much like a web browser to go back to previous location, to move forward after

having gone back to previous location and (not in Windows 7) to go to the folder containing the current folder. Toolbar / Ribbon ? used to access frequently needed functions. The two principal ribbons in File Explorer are HOME (top)

and VIEW (lower):

Address bar ? shows current location; can be used for navigation: type the path into the field

File list ? the list of files in the current folder; using the Display options (Windows 7) or VIEW ribbon (Windows 8 and later), the view can be changed (see previous page)

In Windows, the path is the drive letter, a colon, a backslash, the name of the folder with a backslash at the end (repeated as necessary for additional folders).

Column headings (Detail view only) ? can be used to quickly sort items by any of the

C:\Users\John\Documents\

column headers; one click will sort in one direction (e.g. 0-9, A-Z; oldest to newest; smallest to largest) and a second click will sort in reverse order (e.g. Z-A, 9-0;

might be the path for John's `My Documents' folder. In

newest to oldest; largest to smallest).

this example, `Documents' is

a subfolder of the `John' Search box ? Used to find files and folders; as soon as text is entered, the search begins; folder, which is a subfolder of

if the box is clicked, Windows 7 will display additional search options (varies by type the `Users' folder, which is on

of folder) to limit the number of files or folders found.

the `C' drive.

In Windows 8 and later, a Search Tools ribbon will appear from where you can set options:

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Details pane ? used to see common properties about the file such as dimensions of pictures, file size, author information, etc.

Status bar ? used to see total number of items in a location or the number of selected items and their size

Preview pane ? used to get a preview of a file such as a thumbnail of a picture or the text in a file ? without opening the file's application

Display options (Windows 7) ? opens a slider menu to select the desired view; beginning with Windows 8, this is controlled via the VIEW ribbon

Preview pane toggle (Windows 7) ? toggles on/off the Preview pane on the right side of the window; begin- ning with Windows 8, this is controlled with the VIEW ribbon

Selecting Items

A single item in the file list can be selected by clicking on it with the mouse pointer. Performing a click-and-drag over multiple items will select all items within the area selected. Multiple items can also be selected by clicking on the first or

G G last item to be selected, pressing and holding the key, and then clicking on the opposite item to be selected (the

key can then be released). Everything between the two clicks will be selected. To add or subtract single items, press and

F F hold the key whilst clicking the item(s). The key can be released after clicks, but must be held down before clicking.

This is especially useful if you want to select multiple items which are not sequentially ordered.

N For hardcore keyboard users, the key can be used to move between the different sections of Windows/File Explorer

(e.g. from the Address bar to the Search box to the Toolbar to the Navigation Pane to the File list, etc.), arrow keys can

G be used to change a selection, and multiple items can be selected with the key plus arrow keys.

Manipulating Items

One of the most useful (and underused tools) for manipulating files and folders is the right mouse click to open a context menu which has most everything you might want to do to items -- including renaming.

Items in Windows/File Explorer can be copied using the typical

F c Windows keyboard shortcut of + ; they can be cut with the

By default, dragging items from one location to another will be a move (deleting from the source; adding to the destination), if both source and destination are on the same drive; if they are on different drives, dragging items will, by default, be a copy (leaving files at the source; duplicating them to the destination).

typical Windows keyboard shortcut of

F+x; they can be F v pasted with the typical Windows keyboard shortcut of + .

One of the easiest ways to move or copy files from one location to another is to click-and-drag the name and icon of the file(s) with the mouse. If the target appears in the Navigation pane, this can be done in a single Windows/File Explorer window, but opening a second Windows/File Explorer window to drag

This behavior can be overridden by

G pressing and holding the key

before releasing the mouse button.

items from one window to another is usually simpler (and requires less precision with the mouse [items in the Navigation pane are small and closely packed]).

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The click-and-drag technique can also be done with the right mouse button. At first, the behavior is identical to dragging with the left mouse button (far right), but the right button, when released, opens a context menu (below, left). From this menu, it is easy to select the desired action.

Deleting Items

One or more items can be moved to the Recycle Bin by selecting the item(s) and then either (1) dragging the item(s) to

V the Recycle Bin icon, (2) pressing the key, or (3) right-clicking on the items to open the context menu and then left- G V clicking on `Delete'. If the key is held whilst pressing the key or clicking `Delete' from the context menu, the

Recycle Bin will be bypassed and the file(s) or folder(s) will be permanently deleted.

Creating Folders

There are several ways to create a new folder: in Windows 7, click `New folder' on the Toolbar; in Windows 8 and later, click the New folder icon on the HOME ribbon; in any version of Windows, right mouse click in an empty area of the file list area to open the context menu (example at right) and use left mouse clicks on `New' then `Folder'; in any current version of Windows use the

F G n keyboard shortcut + + .

Any way you choose, a new folder named `New folder' will be created with the name already selected: just start typing the desired name for the folder to replace the `New folder' name. [If you already have a folder named `New folder', the next new folder will start with the name `New folder (2)'.]

Organizing Files and Folders

The hardest thing about organizing files and folders is the time required to initially get organized (but being organized will save a great deal of time). The first step is deciding upon a system of organization -- and this is a matter of personal preference: you should choose a system based on how your brain is organized. Put some thought into this -- changing it later will be a huge hassle. You may want to surf through a number of your existing files to help determine a logical structure for organizing them.

There are some who advocate just dumping everything into one folder and using Windows' built-in search function to find a file. There are two big drawbacks to this: (1) it takes a lot more time to wait for a search than to `drill down' to where you know a file is located, and (2) some items (e.g. photos from most cameras) don't typically have a useful, descriptive name: unless you take the time to rename hundreds, perhaps thousands of files, a search function won't work. A good system of organization will simplify backups and make transferring files to a different computer much easier.

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