Module+4

=**Module 4 -** Understanding Files= Estimated time: 30 minutes Break at end of this module: 10 minutes

**Understanding Files**
Files are created by programs, and because there are so many different programs available (thousands), they each have their own "file type". So, because each application is unique on the kind of data it will create and store, there are some basics you need to know about files in general tp further understand how they interact with the Operating System. Files have three parts: 1. The filename 2. A period to separate the parts 3. An extension **Example: ** filename.extension To understand further how computers interpret the data inside of a file, it is important to know that the extension of every file is created when the user saves the file in the application. The application does this automatically when you save your files. So if I were to open MS-Word and type a paper, when I saved my paper, the program would assign a specific extension to my file. So, if I used MS-Word 2007 to create my file, the file (or document), would automatically have an extension of .docx. So if I called my file 2011_resume, the file name would look like this: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">2011_resume.docx <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">All programs have different extensions, depending on the file type. The Operating System looks at this extension, and that is how it understands which program to try to open for a file, based on the file's extension.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Below is a brief list of programs and their respective file extensions: There are many other file types, but this list is intended as a brief overview. Now, let's create a file!
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Program ** ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Extension **  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Word 97 ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.doc  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Word 2007 ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.docx  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Excel ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.xls  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Excel 2007 ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.xlsx  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Powerpoint ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.ppt  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">MS-Powerpoint ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.pptx  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Images ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.jpg  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.png  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.bmp  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.gif  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Web Pages ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.htm or .html  ||
 * < <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Adobe Acrobat <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Portable Document Format  ||< <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.pdf  ||

All computers have their own set of software (programs or applications) installed. So, depending on your computer will depend on the applications you will have. The OS comes with some accessories, such as a word processor, and generally some kind of program for working with pictures. In this example, we will assume the OS is a Windows Operating System, and we will use the Accessories for the demonstration here.
 * HOW TO CREATE A FILE**

1. Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, WordPad 2. Type your name - bold and right align 3. Save the document, (remember to select the location first and then assign the file name.) 3. Create a heading for the document "Wiki Outline", change the font and use center alignment. 4. Type the outline you created the Module 3 exercise. 5. Save the document to the Wiki folder created in Module 3.
 * Create a WordPad file:**

When saving any file, remember there are **two important things** to remember: 1. Select the folder you want to store the file in. 2. Select the file name.
 * WHEN SAVING FILES**

By default when you choose Save As, the dialog box opens and has the "file name" option highlighed (selected). This tempts the user into typing the file name first, and then hitting enter, not realizing they forgot to choose the proper location for the file first.
 * Important notes:**

1. Always choose the location first, by navigating to the inside of the folder on the storage device. 2. Select and assign a good descriptive file name.
 * To avoid this scenerio when you first save a file:**


 * Bad File Name || Better File Name ||
 * resume || resume_2011 ||
 * syllabus || cisa305_sylmas ||
 * budget || march_2011_budget ||