The Windows File System and Windows Explorer To move around the file system and examine your files or get to one you want (say, to modify, delete or copy it) you can: Start with the My Computer icon on the desktop and keep double-clicking on the appropriate folder icons until you’ve opened the folder where it resides; or Run Windows (not Internet) Explorer

Windows Explorer provides a convenient way to see the hierarchical tree structure of all the folders and files on your file system. The left pane of the window displays this tree structure, while the right pane lists the contents of whatever folder or device has been selected in the left pane.

One way of accessing it is through the Start menu (not available in the CCS labs):

Another way is through “My Computer” on your Desktop. Double click on the My Computer icon, and then right-click on a drive icon (not A if it does not have any floppy in it) and choose Explore:

File names The name you give a file can contain up to 255 characters, including spaces. It can’t contain any of the following characters: \ / : * ? " | Filenames can also have extensions. No 2 files in the same folder can have the same name.

Extensions--what they are and how they’re used Extensions are strings of (typically) three characters preceded by a period that are added to the file name. They are usually used to identify the application that created the file and/or should be used to modify or display the file. The operating system uses the extension to identify and launch the appropriate application.

Common File Extensions.docWord document.txtASCII text file (open in Notepad).htmWeb document (open in IE).xlsExcel spreadsheet.xlcExcel chart.mdbAccess database.pptPowerPoint presentation.exeApplication program

The meaning of A: and C: Below, when we examine the notion of a full pathname for a file, we will see that this pathname always starts with something like A: We also see A: and C: listed as part of the “contents” of My Computer. These letters indicate which disk the file is stored on. A: means the floppy drive and C: means the hard drive.

Other letters are possible, too, depending on what other storage devices are attached to the particular computer. For example, B: is usually another floppy disk drive, and D: may be used for a CD drive, but this is customizable. E.g., in the CCS labs, C: and D: are both part of the hard disk (what are called partitions).

Note: In the CCS labs, users may create files in D: or in the C:\Temp folder or on the desktop. These are the only places on the hard drive where this is allowed. The preferred place is the desktop. But you should only put files there temporarily, deleting them after you’re through (e.g., after copying them to a floppy if you want to keep them).

Furthermore, all files in other locations in the file system are not allowed to be modified or deleted by users.

Digression: How to copy from one floppy disk to another When there’s only one floppy drive 1. Place the source disk in the floppy drive A: 2. Copy from A: to the desktop. 3. Replace the source disk with the target disk in the floppy drive. 4. Copy the file from the desktop to A: 5. Delete the file from the desktop.

Problem: How to find a file on your hard drive Go to Start => Find => Files or Folders... (This feature has, unfortunately, been disabled in the CCS labs.)

In the “Named” box, type the name of the file. Make sure you check “Include subfolders.”

Problem: To find a set of files with similar names Use wildcards. There are two wildcards: * which covers a string of characters ? which covers a single character

Examples To refer to all the files that begin with the string “Report on” phrase it as Report on*

To refer to all the files named “Text11” through “Text43” where these are the only files with the String “Text” followed by two digits (and not one or more than two digits): Text??

To find all your Word documents: *.doc

Problem: Referring to a file by its full path name You sometime have to refer to a file, either in a document or in a Web page, by its full path name, which specifies its exact location in the directory tree structure, including which hardware device it’s located on.

How do you specify a full path name? The full path name is the path the system has to follow in getting from the root of the tree, in the directory structure for that drive, all the way down to the file you want to refer to. What is the full path name for the highlighted file in the following screen?:

Notice that most of the path name is in this address box.

Answer C:\COM1105\1 Operating Systems\2 Windows Explorer.ppt