Computing Skills

Fundamentals
Lecture 3: File Management
and Windows
Overview: File Management
 Files and Folders
 Definitions, naming and types

 File System

 Pathnames
 Absolute vs Relative

 File Management
 Basic File Operations
 File Properties
 Finding Files
File and Folders
 What is a File?
 Collection of data stored as an entity
 A file stores related data
 e.g. a cv, class list

 File Name – consists of two parts separated by a

dot
 Name - description of contents in a file
 Extension – identifies the type of data contained in a
file i.e. File type

 File Names are made of characters (letters of the

alphabet, numbers, dollar sign e.t.c) except:
➢ \/:*?”<>|
File and Folders
 File Types
 Program Files – contains a program e.g. winword.exe
 .msi (executable)

 Document Files – files created with applications such as

Microsoft Word, Excel
 cv.docx created with Microsoft Word
 Budget.xlsx created with Microsoft Word
 Other: .doc, .xls, pptx

 Plain text Files – notes.txt created with Notepad

 Other Examples
 Graphics: .jpg,.bmp, .gif
 Web Files: .html(HTML file)
 Audio: .mp3, .wav
File and Folders
 Folders/Directories
 Containers that are used to organize files
 They can contain regular files as well as other folders
 Generally don’t have extensions just a name

 File System
 Tree-like structure showing how files and folders are arranged in
a storage device such as a hard disk

 Makes it easier to save and locate files

 At the top of the structure is a root folder labelled e.g. C, D, Z

 C: hard disk
 D: e.g. CDROM
 Z:network drive
File and Folders
 Sample File System structure

C: (Root)

Documents Programs

Microsoft Office
ICT121 COM111

Setup.exe
Week1.docx
Pathnames
 Name for a Path taken through a file system to
reach a file

 Absolute pathname
 Specifies a path starting from the root
 E.g. C:\documents\ICT121\week1.docx

 Relative pathname
 Not specified from the root but from some location
within the file system

 Suppose you are currently in directory Documents

 Relative path to week1.doc can be specified as
ICT121\week1.docx
➢ i.e. the path is relative to Documents
File Management
 FileManagement refers to organizing and
arranging files in a computer
 Can be done through a File Manager
 e.g. My Computer or Windows Explorer

 Used to navigate the file system

 Manage Files and Folders e.g. perform basic file

operations

 View File properties

 Search for files

File Management
 Basic File Operations

 Create – create a new file

 Copy – Make copy of a file. If stored in the same folder

they cannot have the same name

 Move - Move file from original location to a new one

 Delete - Delete a file, i.e. move to the Recycle Bin. Empty

the bin to permanently delete the file

 Rename – Change the name of the file e.g. to reflect

changes made to the contents of a file e.g.
homework1.doc may be renamed to homeworkFinal.doc.
Basics File Operations
 Basic file operations are found under "FILE" and
"EDIT" menus of the File Manager
 Alternative is to right click file
File Properties
 Fileproperties. To view information about a file or
folder, right-click it and select Properties.
 Name
 Location
 Type
 Associated program
 Size
 Date created , modified, and
accessed
Finding a File
 Can use
1. Search box on Start menu
 search results are based on text
in the file name, text in the file,
tags, and other file properties

2. Search box in a folder on a File Manager

Finding a File
 Options Used
 Name
 Date
 Type .e.g. jpg, txt, exe
 Size (at least most)
 Size:tiny
 Size: medium
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 Wildcard: a keyboard character that is used to limit files you
want to see during a search
 E.g. you want to find only files with doc extension

 represent one or more unknown characters in a filename

 Or you wan to locate a file but you can only remember a few
characters from the filename

➢ Can use either * or ? As follows:

 * = as a substitute for 0 or more characters in a filename

 E.g. ICT.* match all files that start with ICT

 ? = as a substitute for 1 character in a filename

 ????.txt Match only txt files with names of length 4
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 * = as a substitute for 0 or more characters
 E.g. ICT.* match will match ict.xlsx, ict.ppt

 ? = as a substitute for 1character

 ????.txt match home.txt, comp.txt

 More Examples
 moswetsi*b.abc matches moswetsi123b.abc

 moswetsi?b.abc does not match moswetsi123b.abc

 It matches moswetsi2b.abc

➢ moswetsi*b.abc

➢ moswetsi123b.abc
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 Given these file names:
 A: gec112.doc
 B: g.ec.112.doc
 C: gec121.txt

 Searches to match:
 gec*.doc
 gec*.*
 *.doc
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 Files Names:
 A: gec112.doc
 B: g.ec.112.doc
 C: gec121.txt

 Search:
 gec*.doc A
 gec*.* A,C
 *.doc A,B
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 Files Names:
 A: gec112.doc
 B: g.ec.112.doc
 C: gec121.txt

 Search:
 gec??.*
 gec???.txt
 ???112.doc
 gec*.*t
 gec?.txt
Finding a File: Using Wildcards
 Files Names:
 A: gec112.doc
 B: g.ec.112.doc
 C: gec121.txt

 Search:
 gec??.* NONE
 gec???.txt C
 ???112.doc A
 gec*.*t C
 gec?.txt NONE
RECAP

 File: collection of related data stored as a unit

 Filename: Name.Extension →description.type

 File Types: Program (.exe); Document (.docx); Plain text Files(.txt)

 Folders/Directories: Used to organize files; Can contain regular

files/folders

 File System- Tree-like structure; shows files/folders arrangement

 Root Folder: shows storage device drive e.g. C, D, Z

 Pathname
➢ Absolute pathname - Specifies a path starting from the root
➢ Relative pathname – Specifies path from current directory/folder

 File Manager : Navigate the file system; Manage Files and Folders e.g. My
Computer
Overview: Desktop and Windows

 Desktop
 Introduction
 Desktop Elements

 Windows
 Typesof Windows
 Window Elements
Desktop
➢ When a computer is switched on it goes though a series of
hardware checks and then loads the operating system (booting
process)

 Operating Systems manage computer resources and coordinates

and controls the existence of various application software and
hardware components in the computer

 Our course uses Microsoft Windows (family of operating systems)

 In the lab
 Windows XP or Windows 7

 Moodle instructions and screenshots are based on Windows XP

 If using Windows 7 or later versions you will see a slight difference in the
interface
Desktop
 After OS loads
➢ A login screen is then presented at which point the
user should type in their username and password

 This step ensures that the user is authorized to use the

computer

 Once the user is accepted a Desktop is displayed

➢ Next what is a desktop?
 Windows Desktop
Example: Windows 7 Desktop

Start

Windows Explorer
Taskbar
Desktop
 Think of it as a Workspace with tools that enable
you to get work done e.g. file management
tasks, running software applications

 Basic Features
 The Taskbar
 My Computer
 Folders and Files
 My Documents
Desktop: Basic Features
 The Taskbar
 The bar is found at the bottom of the screen it includes

➢ Start Menu button (button labeled start or as a Windows

Logo)

➢ Clock

➢ Buttons representing running/open programs

 For Windows XP

 For Windows 7
Desktop: Basic Features
 The Taskbar
 Clicking on Start gives access to settings, help, and
other programs NB: This might not be available on public/lab computers
Desktop: Basic Features
 My Computer/Computer/Windows Explore
 Allows you to see what drives are attached to your computer
 i.e. gives access to storage devices such as disk drives,
CDROM drives, USB flash drives
Desktop: Basic Features
 Recycle Bin
 Similar to a waste paper basket

 Contains files and folders a user wants to delete

 These files and folders can be restored if user

changes their mind

 Bin can be emptied by user to permanently

delete files
Desktop: Basic Features
 My Documents
 Storage location for personal users data in
the form of files and folders
Desktop: Basic Features
 Background
 Screen that contains all the mentioned Windows
objects

 Can be plain or have a picture known as a

Wallpaper

 Icons: small pictures that represent Microsoft

Windows features/components

 Buttons: rectangular objects that may have either

an icon or some text (e.g. the word "Start")
 They can be clicked to access Windows functions.
Window?
 Starting an application or opening a document
displays its “window” also known as user interface
on the screen

 The window provides means through which a user can

interact with a program or document

 Forms part of an open program or document

 It has icons , menus, and other objects through which

an application is commanded to carryout various
tasks
Types of Windows
 Program Window
 Applications e.g. Word, Internet Explorer

 Application Window
 Open document within the applicable
program
 Example: WordPad (see following slide)

 Folder Window
 A folder, like “My Documents” that may
contain other folders
WordPad Document Window
 Launching WordPad will open a window such as the
one below
Window Elements
 Title Bar
 Shows name of open application and name of
current document

 Window controls
 Minimize/maximize/Restore/Close Buttons i.e.
Window Elements
 Ribbon
 Series of icons representing commands stored on
different tabs

 Each tab contains groups of related commands

 e.g. font group

 Example Ribbon : MS Word

Window Elements
 Scroll Bars
 Often appear at the bottom and on the right
hand side of a window, used if there is a lot of
content that doesn’t fit within the window

 Status Bar
 This gives additional information about the
document
 e.g. in WordPad, it could display the total
number of pages and the current page in the
document being edited.
Window Elements
 Menu Bar
 Strip of menus, identified by their names

 Clicking on a menu name allows access to the

menu options.
➢ E.g. Common menu names are File, Edit, and View,
through which the associated functions are
accessed.

 Quick Access Tool Bar

 Strip of icons representing menu bar commands

 Allows quick access to some menus

Example Window: Moodle
Summary
 Starting a computer
 Loads Operating System
 Login screen- username and password

 Desktop
 The Taskbar
 My Computer
 Folders and Files
 My Documents

 Background - plain or has picture known as a Wallpaper

 Icons: small pictures representing features/components
 Buttons: rectangular objects with icon or some text

 Window
 User interface-interacts with open application or folder
 Types of Windows: Program, Application, Folder

 Parts (Elements) of a Window

 Status bar
 Scrollbars
 Ribbon
 Quick access toolbar
 Menu bar
 Title bar
 Thank you

Questions???