Windows Basics:Files and Folders - 2

Computer Information Technology – Section 2-3

Desktop and TaskbarObjective: To understand file and folder

names, how to create, edit, delete folders.

File and Folder NamesFile names are divided into 2 parts

The first part of a file's name (before the dot) is called the filename.

The part of a filename after the dot is called the extension.

So together it looks like:       filename.extension

ExtensionsAn application may recognize certain

extensions automatically. For example, MS Word documents use the extension doc. Excel spreadsheets use xls.

If you create an extension of your own, you may have to go to some trouble to get your document open.

Special Characters in FilenamesSpaces, letters, and numbers are always

allowed in long file names, but some symbols are still not allowed. The following are not allowed:

\ / : * ? " < > |

Limits to FilenamesWindows the limit to the length of a file or

folder is 255 characters.  You must count spaces when counting

characters in the filename. However, the path (drive name and all nested

folders to get to the file) can only be 259 characters. The deeper your folders are nested, the longer the path and the fewer characters are left for the file name itself.

Creating, Moving and Deleting Folders1. Open a Computer

window to show the drives on the computer.

2. Click on “Documents” in the Libraries section

3. Click on New Folder 

4. Type “Class” for the folder name.

Creating, Moving and Deleting Folders1. In the same directory…

Right click in a blank spot in the window to see the context menu (i.e. the menu that pops up).

2. Select the menu item  New  and then click on  Folder 

3. Type “My Docs” for the folder name.

Creating, Moving and Deleting Folders1. Double-click the

folder my docs to open it in a new window.

2. Using the methods you just learned,  in the my docs folder create three new folders, named  word docs ,  excel docs , and  paint docs .

Moving FoldersMove by Dragging

1. To move the windows for the my documents and for my docs so that they do not overlap, drag them by their title bars. Resize the windows if you need to.

2. Drag the folder excel docs from the my docs window until your pointer is over folder class in the my docouments window. The icon for this folder class will change to show it is selected.

3. Drop the folder excel doc on top of the folder class.

Moving FoldersWhen does dragging move and when does

it copy?

When the original location and the destination location are on the same drive, the folder is moved when you drag. If the destination location is on a different drive, the folder is copied.

Moving FoldersMove by Dragging (right mouse

button)1. Right drag the folder word

docs to the folder class . When you release the mouse button to drop the folder, a context menu appears.

2. Choose  Move Here .

Moving FoldersUndo & Redo Move Windows keeps track of your

actions. Often you can reverse those actions with the Undo command.

1. Open the folder class by double-clicking it. The window shows the two folders you moved here: excel docs and word docs

2. Right click in a blank area of the window and from the context menu, select Undo Move.  

3. Undo again.

Moving FoldersSelecting Multiple

Files/FoldersMarquee Select There are several ways to

select multiple folders. The method used here is particularly useful when the icons for your files and folders are next to each other.

1. Click in a blank spot in the window and  drag. A box called the marquee appears as you drag.

Moving FoldersSelecting Multiple

Files/FoldersMarquee Select

2. Keep dragging until the box covers enough of the icons for the two folders excel docs and word docs that the icons become  highlighted, which shows that they are selected.  

3. Now release the mouse button. This is called marquee select.

4. Drag either of the selected folders over to the my docs window and drop. Both folders are dragged since both were selected.

Deleting Folders1. Click on the folder paint docs

in the window for my docs to select it. 

2. Press the DELETE key on your keyboard.

Renaming Folders1. To rename the folder word

docs, click on its label. 2. Pause briefly and click again.

Clicking too quickly will result in a double-click, which will open the folder.  

3. Type the new name for the folder (if you change your mind simply hit ESC before you click off from the name of the file and old name will be restored)

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