Windows File Management

File names

Naming files so that they stay out of trouble when you use email, or the 'Minerva' VLE ...

At one time, Microsoft file names were shaped as follows: eight or less characters in the name, a full stop, and three characters in what is called the extension. This was the 8.3 file naming convention set by the ms-dos computer operating system, among others. Here are some example names:

Filenames: characters to avoid

In file names, avoid spaces, and don't use the following:
/ ? < > \ : * | " ^

File extensions

Nowadays, long file names are ok. Files still have 'File extensions', separated from the name by a full stop. They're often hidden from your sight unless you've chosen to see them. In general, if you can't see a file extension, there's no need to add one, it's probably there already. Think of file extensions as 'Belonging' to the particular software that you used to create the file.

Good file names

'Good' file names are lower case throughout, avoid certain characters and contain no spaces, lastly they only use a full stop between the name and extension. Here's some good present-day file names:

dissertation.doc
masteryearend.xls
thesis_revised.rtf
skiff-rowena.jpg
index.html

Spaces in file names aren't a good idea - you can use a hyphen so that a name is still readable - this allows their transfer to other computer systems without your file names falling apart at the seams.

Bad File Names

If you're sending a file by email, or submitting work to 'Minerva', avoid these: extra full stops and spaces.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.doc: Too long. When you save a 'Word' file for the first time, 'Word' helpfully names the file from the document title, or first line, or something. Do run a sanity check on the resulting madness.
whats*this?.doc: There's several things you can't use in a file name - question mark and 'stars' are just two of them ...
my-book-v.12.js.doc: Jan Stewart's book. No virus checker in the world will let this one past. Extra full stops will cause alarm and despondency to virus checking software ... many systems block email attachments named in this way. The hyphens are a good idea though - they make for a readable file name.
one little piggy.html: Spaces in folder and file names are accident prone - so use a hyphen instead: one-little-piggy.html stands a better chance of getting to market
Important.htm: No need to use capitals in filenames (unless its your choice). Windows filenames aren't case-sensitive anyway, but those on many other computer systems are. Windows uses the masterstroke and tends to Capitalise Everything Which is Really Unhelpful as it Breaks Things Sent to Other Computer Systems

The file extension has a special function. When computer software encounters a file, it uses it to hazard a guess as to what sort of file it's found. So if you are using Microsoft 'Word' and open a file that ends with the extension '.rtf', the software thinks

'Ah, '.rtf' means that this file is a text file saved in Rich Text Format and I can deal with that.'

... and opens it. Nowadays a file is often handed from one computer program to another and the first has to know what sort of file it is to hand it on, so this is becoming more important.

It's a good idea to let the computer programme worry about what extension to name files. If you give files extensions that are useful to humans, eg:

myfile.jun
yearend.jly
readme.1st
billhook.thd

... the humans might be happy at first but computer software won't be able to recognise what type of file it's dealing with.

| Top |

Viewing file extensions, 'Unhiding' Hidden Files and Folders

Windows, left to itself, hides file extensions in dialogue boxes. To change this behaviour you'll need to start Windows Explorer (Hold down the 'Windows' key and press 'E'). Then select: Tools/Folder Options/View and uncheck the 'Hide file extensions for known file types' option. Finally, press the control to 'Set all of your folders to the same view ...

Windows is set so it hides some folders and files which it doesn't think you need to see. To reveal all files and folders using Windows Explorer, select: 'Tools/Folder Options/View' and select 'Show hidden files and folders' option.

| Top |

File associations: setting things so that files open in an application of your choice

When you double click a file, the file will open in a an application. You might find that it's not the application you wanted it to be though. You can change this as follows:

Open 'Windows Explorer' perhaps by holding down the 'Windows' key and tapping 'e'
Go to a file of the type you'd like to open
Right mouse click it to bring up the context menu and choose 'Open with' and then 'Choose program'
Choose your preferred program from the list and also check the box 'Always use the selected program to open this type of file'.
In future, when you double click that sort of file, it will open in your chosen program

All before you, in this world, is smoke and shadows.