Datasheet

The operating system stores other information along with the name, including
the date and time the file was last stored. Some other programs record additional
information including the original date of the file’s creation, the number of revi-
sions, and other details. And many programs automatically create a backup ver-
sion of an existing file when you open it for revisions; in case of catastrophe (or if
you decide that changes you have made since the last time the file was saved are
not worth keeping) you can open the backup file and save it under a new name.
There are no right or wrong names for files, except for two things:
 Have a scheme that makes sense to you. The more consistent and logical
you are in choosing names, the easier it is to search and find files if you
forget where you placed them on the hard disk.
 Avoid using certain characters reserved for the computer. You’re some-
what protected here because the operating system will flat-out refuse to
save a file that contains an “illegal” character. Just make sure to read the
messages on the screen and don’t assume that a file has been saved until
you see the action performed.
Filenames under current versions of Windows can be as long as 255 characters
and include any letter of the alphabet and any number, plus spaces, and special
characters including $ % ` - _ @ ~ ! ( ) ^ # & + , ; = [ ].
That said, I recommend keeping filenames simple and relatively short. (By the
way, the filename’s maximum length includes the
path to where the file is stored.
If your files are deeply buried in a place like C:\windows\mydocuments\corey\
dummies\laptops\quickreference\secondedition, you’re starting in a hole 73
characters deep including the drive designation.)
The computer also does two things to help you find and work with files: assigns
a filename extension that identifies a file as being of a certain type (a word-
processing document, a music file, a photo or drawing, and so on) and because
Windows is a GUI, it also gives files an icon. Some programs come equipped with
their own icons, while others leave it up to Windows to find an appropriate or
generic picture.
Filename extensions and icons serve two very important purposes: They make it
easy to quickly identify files of a particular type, and they make it easy for the
operating system to associate a file with the program needed to use it. Because
of this feature, Windows allows you to double-click a filename and open it within
the proper program.
The final component of managing your stuff is to use folders. Think of them as file
folders, filing cabinets, or boxes on the floor: Their purpose is to help you organ-
ize your stuff. Windows tries to help out by offering a folder called My Documents,
but that’s only one level removed from just piling everything on the desktop.
Hitting the Internet — Organizing Files, Extensions, and Folders 23
03_240564-ch01.qxp 7/23/08 8:28 PM Page 23