Organizing Folders and Files
In this lesson, you will learn:
Folder Organization
You can create folders within other folders to help organize your file system. For example, open Explorer and notice that in the Drives folder there are other folders with folders inside of them, indicated by a + sign. When expanded, the structure looks like a branch, with other branching subfolders underneath. Most programs like Adobe Reader, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks etc. are automatically placed inside of their own folders when they are installed. The program then saves the data about documents you create inside of those folders somewhere. Sometimes they are hard to find.
If you know how to check the options in each program you can find where the default file locations are. You can (and should) then change the location of your data files to a different drive and folder system so you can find them. Moving them gives you control of where the data is on your computer and all of your data files are in one place for backing them up or finding them as needed.
Knowing that you do have a choice, you can either save your files to these default system folders that each program sets automaticlally, or you can create your own structure for your documents. 'My Documents' is for exactly that purpose. Keeping program files separate from the document and data files avoids confusion and simplifies backing up your documents. An example of this technique is QuickBooks, which keeps all of the transactions and account information that you create in a data file INSIDE of the C:\Program Files\QuickBooks folder. Why would you not want that? Because if you have to back up that file that has ALL of the financial data you have ever entered into the program, you have to first find it. When you do, you have to find other data files in other programs too, which are all in different locations. If your computer were to need work, none of the data files could be removed quickly, or restored quickly either.
Folders can be used to group related items together, such as all of the Word documents, or pictures, as in My Documents > My Pictures. For example, a small business might group all of the inventory files and store them in one folder called Inventory, and these files could even be stored on a separate drive than the Accounting or the Employee record files. Another folder could be for Resumes or work search related files, another for Music, etc, all of which are in ONE folder called 'My Documents' which could contain ALL of the data files, documents, graphics or multimedia files in ONE PLACE.
Learning to manipulate folders to several levels deep is what we will do now.
- Close any programs running on your computer.
- Right click anywhere in the 'My Documents' Folder using either Windows Explorer or My Computer.
- Select New>Folder.
- Name the folder with your Name.
- Check the 'My Documents' folder for the personal folder you created. If it is not there, repeat step 2 - 4.
In Windows Explorer, in the left pane, locate the folder you created and select it. Since there are no folders or files inside, the area on the right will be blank or empty. Right click in the empty area of the right pane and select New > Folder, and name it "Personal". When the "Personal" folders shows on the right, either locate it on the left or Double Click it. When the folder opens, Right Click in the blank area and create a new folder called "Personal 2".
Double click on "Personal 2" and create a new folder inside called "Personal 3". Close Windows Explorer.
Open Windows Explorer again. At this point, inside of My Documents should be your new folder called "Personal" and inside of "Personal" should be another folder called "Personal 2", and inside of "Personal 2" should be another folder called "Personal 3". By expanding the folders (click on the + sign in front of 'My Documents' in the left pane) you should see the folders under 'My Documents'.
The same principal works for any drive. Below is an example using the Floppy A: drive.
File Organization
File organization is based on folder organization. Because the Operating system takes care of organizing system files, and Programs files are loaded in set locations when the program is installed, the only files you have to organize are the ones you create through your day to day computer activities. The files you would be most concerned about organizing are:
- documents you create
- documents you copy or scan from other locations
- Pictures, Images and graphics files
- Data files from programs that may require backing up
- Music and other Media files
Now thaat you understand the basics of organizing folders, it is just a matter of creating the folder, putting the files you want into that folder and organizing the folders in the order that you choose. Generally I find it better not to "nest" folders too deeply; three levels is usually the most folders I put inside of each other and there are several reasons for this. Convenience of popping open the folder and finding the file right away is one reason, but the location of the file is called the 'path' and generally it is easier to keep the path to the file short for reasons that will become clear in later lessons.
For now, happy organization!! I have another name for it: housekeeping. Keeping things organized, neat and easy to find fit well with that description. Housekeeping is covered in another lesson.
If you have a project or would like to see something that is not here, send me an email. I would love to hear from you!!
