Save |
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by Ann Smith |
In the beginning . . .we need to know how "Save As" works to identify the files that we put into our computer. It is a simple concept that seems to be difficult to grasp by many computer novices. Most of us learn, early on, that when we create a file, we must give it a unique name if we ever again plan to locate it for printing, to retrieve it to use, to modify it, refer to it, or to copy it for someone else, or to send it via modem. The name that we give the file needs to be something that we will recognize, limited to a maximum of eight (8) ASCII characters - letters or numbers [it could consist of only one letter or number in DOS and in Windows 3.1 (more in Windows 95)]. The file name may or must include a three (3) character, or less, extension depending on its function or on the program used to create it (programs recognize the extensions set by the criteria of the program's operating files). The extension follows a file name and is separated from it by a "dot" or "period"; i.e. Oneleter.doc (a text file); or Runafile.bat (a batch file of ASCII text - executable); or Sol.exe, which starts your solitaire game, and Edit.com, the DOS edit command file (.com & .exe are executable machine language files).
Once created, the file must be stored in a relevant directory (not in your C:\> Root Directory) - the directory name also helps to identify and locate the file - it is the "path" to that file. Most programs will automatically store the files created within the directory which contains the program (IF you are careful to make certain that you are saving to that directory when you select "Save as") - but you still may want to create a "sub-directory" to further isolate specific files of a similar nature or subject. The following example refers to text files created in MS Word for Windows (WinWord is the program directory) and we will use correspondence as an example.
You might write both business and personal letters, so it would be practical to store them in: c:\winword\letters\personal\ and in c:\winword\letters\ business\. The directories can be created in either DOS or in the windows File Manager. WinWord stores its documents, text files, with an extension ".doc" (MS Works text files are called Word Processing files and the extension is ".wps"). So now, in MS Word for Windows, I write a letter to my Aunt Mary and another letter to Microsoft. When the letter to Aunt Mary is finished, I select File from the menu bar and select Save As and then in the dialog box that appears, I select the WinWord directory, Letters, then Personal, and in the File Name box I type in: Mary796 (for my letter to Aunt Mary dated August 10, 1996). You might want to send the same letter to Aunt Ella, so you could change your salutation to "Dear Aunt Ella" and then select Save As and in the dialog box indicate: Save As: c:\winword\ letters\personal\ella796 and both letters would be stored in letters\personal, under its own file name. Then I type my business letter to Microsoft and when I have finished I "Save As" c:\winword\letters\business\msft796.
In Windows 3.x File Manager or Windows 95 Explorer, you can do a Search to find a file IF you remember the name.
A "tree" showing the locations of the above named files would look as follows:
c:\winword (directory)
letters (a sub-directory of winword)
personal (a sub-directory of winword\letters)
ella796.doc (a document - text file)
mary796.doc (a document - text file)
business (a sub-directory of winword\letters)
msft796.doc (a document - text file)
In Windows 95, the structure for saving a file is the same as the above, except for different terminology, i.e. the directory is now termed a folder in Windows 95.
Ann Smith is a HAL-PC member and Quicken Instructor for the HAL-PC Seniors Workshop Classes.
E-mail me at webmaster@hal-pc.org with any comments you have and tell me what you want to see here.
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