|
Directory
Structure |
|
(and how to figure out where
files are)
[Examples
are based on Windows XP] |
|
On a
computer, information (data) and
programs are kept in files on
the
hard drive.
These files may contain many
different types of information.
Filenames: files have a
filename of generally no more
than 256 characters and usually
have an extension of 3 or more
characters, like: letter.doc,
kidsplay.mov, budget.xls, etc.
The extension generally
identifies what kind of data is
in the file. |
|
Music |
 |
.MP3, .au, .mid,
etc.
|
|
Photo |
 |
.gif, .jpg, .png,
etc. |
|
Video |
 |
.wmv, .mpeg, .mov,
etc. |
|
Database |
 |
.db, .mdb, .etc |
|
Word Document |
 |
.doc, .docx, etc. |
|
Text Document |
 |
.txt, .rtf, .etc. |
|
|
 |
Folders:
files are generally organized
into folders. Names of
folders follow the same rules as
filenames and may have
extensions, but generally do not. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Files and folders on the computer are stored
on the
hard drive.
Think of the storage of your
computer as a file cabinet.
Each drawer of the file cabinet
represents a hard drive. Most
home computers have only one
hard drive, but most are capable
of supporting more. Each
hard drive will have a letter
assigned to it with the primary
drive normally assigned the
letter "C". |
 |
|
Within each
drawer (hard drive) are multiple
folders and each folder can
contain multiple files or other
folders.
[Geek Note: There is another
structure on the hard drive
called a partition.
Discussion of partitions is
outside the scope of this
discussion] |
|
Windows
Explorer |
|
So, now
that we know about files and
folders, the next question
becomes, "How do I find the file
I want on my hard drive".
[Geek Note: like most things
in the Windows world, there are
multiple ways of looking at the
contents of the hard drive.
We are describing one of them.] |
| Windows
has a program called
Windows Explorer which
allows you to look at the
contents of hard drives
and other storage devices
on your computer. To
launch (start) Windows
Explorer, right click on
the start button and
select
"Explore". |
 |
|
|
The
explorer window will open.
There should be two
"panes" visible.
If there is only one, press the
"Folders" button at
the top of the window. |
 |
|
Left
Pane: The left pane shows
the storage devices and folders
on those devices available on
the computer. |
|
 |
|
|
|
Right
Pane: The right pane shows
the contents of whatever is
selected in the left pane. |
 |
 |
In
this example, the computer
has one hard drive (C), a
CDROM drive (D) and
a DVDROM drive (E).
Notice that
many of the items in the left
pane have a plus (+) sign or a
minus (-) sign next to
them. A plus sign
indicates that there are other
folders within. Clicking
on a plus sign causes the
display to "expand" to
show the folders within. A
minus sign indicates that the
list is already expanded.
Clicking on a minus sign causes
the list to contract.
In
addition, there are some
"special"
folders shown in the left
pane. |
|
|
"Special
Folders"
|
|
Documents
and Settings: The
Documents and Settings folder
contains a folder for each user
account on the computer.
Within each of those folders is
a set of unique folders
containing specific files
relating to that user. One
of these folders is the My
Documents folder which is
intended to contain a user's
data files.
|
|
My
Documents: In the
illustration below, the
"lower" My Documents
folder contains the folders and
files "owned" by the
user that is currently logged
into the computer. The
"upper" My Documents
folder is an "alias"
folder and clicking on it causes
the right pane to show the
contents of the
"lower" My Documents
folder. With a different
user logged in, clicking on the
upper My Documents folder would
show the contents of the My
Documents folder of that user.
|
|
|
Desktop:
The contents of the desktop
folder shows on
the computer screen behind any
running programs. The
desktop may contain files,
folders or icons that
"point" at files or
folders. Double clicking
on an icon that
"points" to an
"executable file"
(program), causes that program
to run
("launch"). If
an icon is pointing to a file
that isn't a program, the
program associated with that
file launches and opens
it. For example, if an
icon representing a .doc file is
double clicked, Microsoft Word
will usually launch and open
that file.
|
 |
| Control
Panel: The control
panel is a folder that
contains icons pointing to
"applets".
These applets are
generally small programs
that allow users to change
windows settings.
For example, clicking on
the display icon, allows
the user to change
settings that affect how
windows is displayed on
the computer, what
hardware is used in
displaying windows and how
that hardware is
configured. |
 |
|
| Program
Files: The Program
Files folder contains
folders that generally
represent the programs
that are installed on the
computer. These
folders contain most or
all of the files required
to run the program. |
 |
|
