Operating Systems. Engr. Abdul-Rahman Mahmood MS, PMP, MCP, QMR(ISO9001:2000) alphapeeler.sf.net/pubkeys/pkey.htm

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1 Operating Systems Engr. Abdul-Rahman Mahmood MS, PMP, MCP, QMR(ISO9001:2000) alphapeeler.sf.net/pubkeys/pkey.htm pk.linkedin.com/in/armahmood abdulmahmood-sss alphasecure mahmood_cubix VC++, VB, ASP

2 Windows File Management Unix File Systems

3 Introduction Computers are all about the processing of information The Information has to be organized in a systematic way or else You can't find it when you need it The computer can't find it when it needs it There are two principal types of files Text files Binary files

4 Where is the information? HDD The main permanent storage place Most computers also have storage places that can be moved from one computer to another. These are useful for transferring or sharing data and for archiving and long-term storage of files A floppy disk drive, A CD and/or DVD drive» CD-R - a read-only drive, useless for saving data» CD-RW - a read/write drive capable of both reading data DVD drives» DVD-R and DVD+R» DVD-RW and DVD+RW A USB portable storage device (often called "thumb drives") Others such as Zip drives, tape, etc.

5 How is the Information Organized? Each item of information (letters, lists, documents, financial information, spreadsheets, databases, etc. as well as components of the operating system and of the programs on your computer) is stored as a FILE Files are organized into FOLDERS Folders can contain SUBFOLDERS It is useful to think of the hard drive (C:) as a file cabinet. The file cabinet has drawers which are the equivalent of folders (it can hold as many folders as its physical size can accommodate) Inside the drawers (folders) are a number of subfolders Inside the subfolders are the files (or additional subfolders - think of them as sub-subfolders Open the My Town folder to see how this works

6 Naming Files names with 2 parts separated by period: MYFILE. EXE name (.) extension File extensions are usually, but not necessarily, three characters long Extensions define the type of file and are very important because they are what Windows uses to determine what kind of file it is and how to process it. Windows should be configured to always display the file extensions. However, as delivered, Windows does NOT display these extensions, (probably because Bill Gates thought you too stupid to learn what we'll discuss for the rest of the course.) PATH - The part of the full address preceding the file name is called the "path" C:\Folder\Subfolder\Sub-Subfolder\FileName.Extension

7 File Save vs. File Save As Saving Files There are three characteristics of files that you must specify when saving a file: The file location The file name The file extension (file type) The procedure for saving a file is as follows: But suppose you want to create a new folder in which to save the file After you have chosen Save (or Save As) on the File menu and the dialog box has opened To the right of the Save In section you'll see a number of small icons. The one that looks like a file folder that is about to explode Click on it. A dialog box will open and you'll see a section titled Name. Type the name of the folder you want to create there and then proceed to save the file into it as described above.

8 Viewing Files and Folders The contents can be viewed in several different ways according to your needs and/or tastes Thumbnails - Displays a picture of the contents of the file or folder when possible Tiles - Displays large icons along with the file name (and extension if you have enabled them) Icons - Displays small icons along with the file name (and extension if you have enabled them) List - Displays just a list of the file names (and extensions if you have enabled them) Details - Displays file name, type, size, date created and other options information about each file

9 Viewing Files and Folders

10 File and Folder Operations Left vs. Right Click Left clicks ALWAYS perform an action» A left single-click when done on a button in a dialog box causes an action to take place.» A left single-click on a folder or file name selects the folder or file for further action (as yet unspecified)» A left double-click causes the default action for a given file type Right clicks ALWAYS display a menu A right single-click opens a menu (context sensitive) displaying a list of possible actions and other information A right double-click does nothing

11 File and Folder Operations The Power of Right-Click Right-click menus are context-sensitive. That means that what you see on the right-click menu depends upon what object you right-click on. A "Generic" Right-Click menu contains commands for Software Operations (Open, Print, Edit, etc.) Basic File Management Functions (Cut, Copy, Paste) Send To (Move or Copy a File, Open Software Applications, Create Desktop Shortcuts, Initiate , etc.) Properties (Displays information about the item clicked) File or Folder Type of File Opens With Location Size Date Created, Modified, Accessed Attributes (Archive, Read-Only, Hidden, System) Hard or Removable Disk (Type, File System Used, Used Space, Free Space, Capacity Special Objects( Desktop, Start Programs, Taskbar, My Computer)

12 Copying Files or Folders You can copy files, folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders, etc. Copying creates a duplicate of the original» In the same folder with a different name» In a different folder with the same name» In a different folder with a different name (but the same content) The original remains in the same location unchanged There are several ways to do this:» Right-click menu» Left-click on the file or folder you want to copy to highlight it» The Edit menu in My Computer or Windows Explorer» Drag and Drop

13 Moving Files or Folders You can move files, folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders, etc. Moving is similar to Copying in that it creates a duplicate of the original In the same folder with a different name In a different folder with the same name In a different folder with a different name (but the same content) But the action also deletes the original file from its former location There are several ways to do this: Right-click menu Left-click on the file or folder you want to copy to highlight it The Edit menu in My Computer or Windows Explorer Drag and Drop

14 Renaming Files or Folders You can change the name of a file or folder at any time But you must be careful NOT TO CHANGE THE FILE EXTENSION There are several ways to do this:» Right-click menu» Left-click on the file or folder you want to copy to highlight it

15 Deleting Files or Folders Deleting Files or Folders You can delete a file or folder at any time There are several ways to do this:» Right-click menu» Left-click on the file or folder you want to copy to highlight it» Press the DELETE key

16 How Windows Manages Files File Extensions Each application program (Notepad, Word, Quicken, Turbo Tax, etc.) creates binary files (0's and 1's) in a particular format Typically only the program that created the file can read it Windows uses FILE EXTENSIONS to associate the data files created by a program with the program that create them Most Windows files have names with two distinct parts separated by a period: MYFILE. EXE The stuff before the period or dot (.) is the name of the file assigned either by you (in the case of files you create) or by the programmer or supplier (in the case of the operating system, programs and applications) The stuff after the period or dot (.) is called the "file extension" File extensions are usually, but not necessarily, three characters long Extensions define the type of file and are very important because they are what Windows uses to determine what kind of file it is and how to process it.

17 Some Examples of Extensions Extension Description Opened By jpg, gif Graphics, Pictures Default browser or graphics program bmp (Bulky) graphics Microsoft Paint or graphics progam doc Word Processing file Microsoft Word or WordPad xls Excel Spreadsheet file Microsoft Excel txt Text file Notepad, text editor, Microsoft Word, etc. pdf Portable Document file Adobe software (Reader or Acrobat) htm, html Hypertext Mark file Default browser (edited in text editor) wav, mp3 Audio Clip Windows Media Player avi, wmv Video Clib Windows Media Player rm Video Clip Real Player dll Dynamic Link Library Used by software in a variety of functions exe Executable file File that actually runs software zip Compressed file Opened by WinZip, PKZip, etc.

18 Different programs are not able to read each others files. To demonstrate this, try these exercises: Create a small plain text (ASCII) file, using Notepad Save it three times, using.txt,.doc, and.jpg extensions Double click on each to open and view The File Extensions tell Windows what type the file is (or is supposed to be) A list of file types is kept in the Registry, defining» what actions are possible for each file type (Open, Edit, Print, etc.)» which software to use for each action» where that software is stored

19 File Associations Software that is assigned to do something with or to a particular type of file is said to be "associated" All file types will have at least one possible actions called the Default Action. This is (almost) always "Open" he Default action is the one that double left-clicking brings about. When a user invokes a particular file by double-clicking, the operating system consults the Registry From the list path for the Default action, it calls up the appropriate executable software file to carry out the desired action In general, actions other than the Default are invoked from the right-click context menu. Right-clicking a file once will bring up a list of things (called the context menu ).

20 File Associations

21 Managing File Associations

22 Finding Lost or Misplaced Files. It is (too) often the case that after you've saved a file, you can't remember where you saved it or even (sometimes) what you named it. Windows has a solution for you. It's called "Search" Windows Search can be accessed in several different ways From the Desktop click on Start, then on Search From the My Computer window, first click on the Search Tool on the toolbar then click on "Search for Files or Folders" in the Systems Tasks section of the Task Pane When the Search dialog box opens, it looks like this:

23 Finding Lost or Misplaced Files.