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| Take Control Of Your Files & Folders |
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Navigation August 2001 • Vol.7 Issue 8 Page(s) 19-20 in print issue |
Take Control Of Your Files & Folders Organize & Ye Shall Find | ||
Jump to first occurrence of: [FOLDERS]  Computers offer the ability to store vast amounts of data, but your capacity to access and use that data hinges on how well you organize it. Just as with a paper filing system, you need to get your hands on your information quickly or it does you little good. You use a file cabinet with folders for your paper files; you can organize the files on your computer in the same fashion. If you set up your file system with some thought, rather than haphazardly scattering your files here and there, you will be able to access those files more easily when you need them. With a virtual file system, you also have the advantage of being able to search for information across your system (and any network drives) in those instances where you can't find the right file, something you couldn't do in a paper world. We'll explore files and folders and discuss how to organize your files, how to take advantage of the basic system already in place, and how to locate files when, in spite of your best efforts at organization, you can't remember where you put the one you need. Understand The Basic Folder System In WinMe When you install Windows Me, the system creates several folders for you to help you organize your work. The folders are organized in a tree structure with the root being the hard drive letter designation (usually C:) and each of the main folders forming the branches. These default folders provide a good starting point for your own organization. The easiest way to see the basic file system is to open Windows Explorer by clicking Start, then Programs, then accessories, then Windows Explorer. (See "Windows Explorer's Viewpoint" for more information on Windows Explorer.) Don't use the root directory to store your files. Each system has at least one hard drive, and by default, this is almost always the C: drive. If you have more than one drive (or multiple partitions), then C: is usually the drive where you store Windows. The drive itself is known as the root directory because it is the root of the directory tree. Many novice users make the mistake of saving all their files to this root directory and fail to take advantage of the organization that folders can provide. This results in a long list of files with no organization, making it difficult to locate files when you need them.
Put your programs in the Programs folder. WinMe creates a folder for program files appropriately called Programs. This is the default repository for programs, and most installation programs place your program files in this folder. This is particularly convenient because it acts a central storage space for all your program files, allowing you to locate these files easily should you need them. Leave the Windows folder alone. During installation, WinMe creates a directory for itself. The Windows folder contains a wide variety of files, including storage places for application data (it's where Microsoft stores your e-mail, for example), temporary Internet files, the Windows Temp directory, the System folder (where Windows stores key system files), and many others. Do not alter files or folders in the Windows directory unless you have clear instructions or are directed by technical support personnel to do so. Folder Maintenance In order to organize your folders and files, you need to know some basic file maintenance commands. To start with, open Windows Explorer by clicking Start, then Programs, then Accessories, then Windows Explorer. When Windows Explorer opens, you'll see that it's divided into two panes. In the left pane, you see the Folders Explorer Bar. Select any folder in this pane to display the contents of the folder in the right pane. Add new folders to organize your data. The easiest way to organize related information is to create a folder for it. If you wish to add a new folder, right-click on any white space in the right pane (not on a file or folder) and select New, then Folder from the shortcut menu. A new folder appears in the right pane with default name "New Folder." Type in a name and click anywhere outside the new folder to complete your new folder.
Delete files or folders you no longer need. You can delete an unwanted folder or file by right-clicking it and selecting Delete from the shortcut menu. If you select a folder, remember that you're deleting the folder and all the files stored within that folder. The Confirm Folder Delete dialog box will prompt you to confirm the deletion. Click Yes to delete the folder, or No if you've changed your mind. If you delete the folder, and realize you did so in error, you can normally recover it from the Recycle Bin. Take Advantage Of The Windows Files Search Tool No matter how well you organize your filing system, there will be times when it's still difficult to track down a particular file. One of the advantages of a virtual filing system over a paper one is that you have the ability to search for files across your system or network to locate the files you need. Use a wildcard to locate a broader range of file names. WinMe comes with a fairly sophisticated File Search tool, which you can access by clicking Start, then Search, then For Files or Folders. Begin by entering a file or folder name. You can enter a full file name or use a wild card to expand the parameters of the search. By entering an asterisk (*) in the place of a full or partial name or extension, you tell the Search tool to find any files that include the partial information. For example, if you entered "*.*," you would find every file and every folder in the system. In most cases, of course, this would be too broad to be meaningful. But if you entered "*.exe," you would find every executable file. If you needed to find all the text files that begin with the letter "s," you could enter "s*.txt" and the Search tool will display any files that match your search criteria. Confine your search to a particular drive. If you wish, you can refine the search by limiting the places where the Search will look. Just click the Look in drop-down menu and select a drive. By default, the selection is all drives, but you can confine it to a particular one if you're sure of the location, but unsure of the file name. This will save time, since the tool knows to look in a particular location, rather than on every drive across your system and network. Keep refining to narrow your search. Keep in mind that the more you refine your search, the more likely you are to locate the file you are seeking. If you want to refine your search to a greater degree, click the Search Options expander ("<<") to reveal four additional choices: Date, Type, Size, and Advanced Options. Click the checkbox next to any item and additional search fields appear. Enter the additional search information to limit your search. Manage files from the Search Results window. When you are ready, click the Search Now button and WinMe will look for any files that match your search criteria. When it finds them, the files are displayed in the right pane. From that pane, you can open, delete, or rename any file listed.  Keep Your Files Neat And Tidy. If you just place your files on your hard disk randomly, you'll have a hard time tracking them down when you need them. Your hard drive will be the digital equivalent of a typical teenager's room: everything piled all over the place, and no organizing principle present to allow you to find specific items. But if you organize your files into meaningful folders and subfolders, just as you would with paper files, you‘ll be able to find the file you need more quickly and hence take advantage of the fact you are using a computer. And if you do lose track of a file, the handy WinMe Search tool will help you locate any file on your system or network.  by Ron Miller |
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