Chapter 5 File Management
Vocabulary
Clicks: Describes the action of pressing on the left or right mouse button; can be one or more clicks.
Default: The preset selection of an option offered by a system and will always be used unless the user changes it.
Desktop: The main screen display of a personal computer where icons, windows, and other items appear.
File: A named collection of information, in the form of text, programs, graphics, etc., held on a permanent storage device such as a C drive or flash drive.
File management: Also called filed maintenance; copying, renaming, relocating, and deleting files in the computer.
Folder: A place on a drive for holding and organizing multiple subfolders or files.
Icon: A small picture or image that represents an application, file, or folder. The user can click or double-click the icon to open the application software, file, or folder.
Pin: Describes the action of placing a shortcut on the taskbar, which allows the user to quickly access the application software.
Subfolder: A folder that is placed within another folder.
Taskbar: Found at the bottom of the computer screen by the default setting. Contains selectable buttons and icons of opened and pinned application software, along with the date and time.
Window: A rectangular area on a screen in which a document or application can be viewed. Most windows allow the user to minimize, maximize, and close them.
Introduction
When saving a file, it is important to be able to quickly locate the file in the future. If a person saved all files to just one location on the storage device (e.g., flash drive), it could be difficult to find a file later. Imagine placing documents in a file cabinet drawer without using folders. It would be time-consuming to find the document if no filing system is used. Using a file system, which includes using folders, helps the computer user quickly locate files. File Explorer allows the user to manage files and folders, which is called file management.
The Hierarchical File System
A hierarchical file system is a way that drives, folders, and files are organized on an operating system. A drive is a location where programs, folders, and files can be saved. On many computers the C: or C drive is the first primary drive on a computer’s hard drive. When a secondary drive, like a flash drive, is inserted into the computer, it is also another drive that can be used to save files on (Figure 1).
To create an organized file system, the user should create folders on the drive to help organize the files that are saved. Within a folder, subfolders can be created to further organize information. Within the folder or subfolder, the user can save a file.
In Figure 1, the user created three folders in the E drive named Store N Go. These three folders are considered Level 1 folders because they were saved in the drive and not in another folder.
Notice the arrows to the left of the drives and also left of the “3 Level 1 Folder.” If the user clicks an arr