Picture a desk completely hidden by paper, piles of documents haphazardly strewn about, notes lying hither and yon.  Now picture yourself, madly trying to locate a really important file that you desperately need in 15 minutes.  Not a pretty sight is it?

Now, imagine the same scenario, but this time you are sitting at your computer, trying to remember the name of the file you so urgently need and the location of it.  After you have spent many agonizing moments scrolling through lists of files, you come across this elusive file.   Relief, yes, but also the nagging feeling that if you had only spent some of your time organizing and managing your files in the first place, you could have saved some of the white hairs that you have just sprouted.  Thus, the topic of the moment, ‘Managing Your Files’.

File Management is not a new concept, but it is one that many of us do not faithfully practice.  This wouldn’t be a problem in a perfect world.  Unfortunately, none of us lives in a perfect world (with the exception of Mary Poppins perhaps). The process of managing files is relatively straightforward, logical even.  The difficulty lies in keeping it up.  Again, if you are like me, you may often go through spurts of organizational behaviour which, alas, do not tend to last.   However, computer file management is easier to set up and maintain than the appearance of your desk.  Lucky for us!

So let’s begin.  A logical starting place is with the basics.

1. All files require a name.
2. All file names need to be unique.  In other words, no two files can have the same name.
3. The name of the file should be relevant to the content of the document.  For example, a file name BLF1 may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but six months from now it will probably give you no clue as to the contents of this document.
4. Folders are structures designed solely for the purpose of holding documents and organizing your files.

It should be noted that the task and responsibility of naming a file can partially be done for you by most applications.  When you have decided that it is time to save your work, you may notice that in the SAVE dialogue box in the file name area, a name has already been supplied for you.  The application has been designed to do a little bit of deductive reasoning.  It has decided that a logical name for your file may very well be the title of the document if one has been supplied, and, if not, the first line of the document.  Although quite clever and sometimes convenient, this proffered title is not always the one that we, the creators, want.  This is not a problem; it's a simple matter of deleting this proposed name and supplying the one of your choice.

Typically, file creation isn’t your problem.  The problem lies in where you have decided to store the files.  Many of us don’t even think about this; we simply rely on the application and Windows to deal with this for us.  And deal with it, Windows does.  If a particular destination is not indicated for a file, Windows will automatically store it in the default folder entitled My Documents.  For the most part, this arrangement may be sufficient for your needs.  However, if you are working with more than 10 files, a better solution may be required.

Think of a filing cabinet, each drawer containing folders.  Each set of folders is labeled and documents are sorted and filed according to subject or alphabetically. Locating a file becomes a relatively easy task as long as the file has not been misfiled, of course.   This method of storing information can be duplicated on your computer system.

Okay.  What do you need to know to create this type of arrangement?

First, you need to know the tools that are required for such an undertaking.

Needless to say, you will need a computer!  You will also require a computer application such as Windows Explorer that will allow you to organize your files . Don’t fret.  Most computer systems that run using Windows already contain this particular application.

Windows Explorer is a program that will enable you to create folders, view your file directories (listings of your files), move files into different folders, copy files from folder to folder, and delete files from your system.  It is basically a file management application.

There are a couple of things you should know about creating folders.  First, the number of folders that you can create is limited only by the available space on your system.  Second, you can create folders inside of other folders.  The simplicity or complexity of your filing system is entirely up to you.  Last, anything at all can go into a folder - program files, data files, additional folders.  Go crazy! Create as many folders as you deem necessary.

To Create a Folder

You have now taken your first steps to becoming an expert file manager.  But you are not there yet.  Now that you know how to create a folder, you need to know how to move and copy files into a folder.

Windows Explorer displays the contents of your system using a split window.  On the left, all folders, drives, and files contained within your system are displayed. Windows Explorer uses the right side of the window to display the contents of a selected drive or folder.  Note that only one folder at a time may be shown.

If you are worried that you will not remember the Dragging Rules, follow this method to move a file.

1. Follow steps 1 through 2 as indicated in Method 1.
2. Instead of clicking and dragging the file to the new folder, RIGHT MOUSE click on the file.
3. A short-cut menu will appear.  Select the Cut option.
4. Select the folder that you wish to move this file to.
5. Click on the PASTE button.  Voila!  Your file has a new address.

Copying files is quite simple to accomplish once you have learned the rudiments of moving files.  Just to be on the safe side though, steps for copying files will follow.  These steps involve using the right mouse button method instead of the dragging method.  If you prefer to click and drag, please scroll back up to the File Dragging Rules and re-read them.  Copying files within the same drive (i.e. Drive C: to Drive C:), however, requires the use of the right mouse click method or the use of the COPY and PASTE buttons.

To copy a file

1. Follow steps 1 through 2 as indicated in Method 1 above.
2. Right mouse click on the file intended to be copied.
3. From the drop down menu, select the Copy option.
4. Select the folder that you wish to move this file to.
5. Click on the PASTE button.  Your file now has an identical twin!

So far so good? Great, because it is time to learn how to do some housecleaning. As you well know, part of the organizing process is deciding what stays and what goes.  If you are like me, much of what is on your desk and also in your computer, is clutter!   Throw this stuff away!!  Part with that file that you created in 1990 and haven’t looked at since!  You can do it!  Ready?

Housecleaning basics: 

1. Roll up your sleeves, and take a few minutes to browse through each of your folders.
2. For files that you are not sure whether or not to keep, open them and re-read them.
3. For files that you have absolutely no idea as to what they contain (i.e. file BXCV?), open them and see for yourself.
4. Once you have determined which files stay and which are destined for the recycle bin, begin the deletion process.

To delete one file at a time, simply select the file and press the DEL or Delete button on your keyboard or select the Delete option from the FILE menu. A warning message should appear asking you if you are sure you want to delete this particular file. Responding "Yes" will send this file flying to the Recycle Bin. Please note that if you delete the wrong file by mistake, you can open the Recycle Bin and retrieve it and it won’t even be wrinkled!

To delete more than one file at a time, you may do one of the following two things:

1. a) If the files are in sequence, hold down the SHIFT key as you select each file using the down or up arrow keys.

b) All of the selected files should appear highlighted. Now you can simultaneously dump all of these files to the Recycle Bin as outlined above.

or

2. a) If the files are not in sequence, hold down the CTRL key as you select each file.

        b) Delete the selection of files.

Often, we may decide that the entire folder and all of its contents are slated for the Recycle Bin. You could display the folder directory of files and delete all of the files and then delete the folder, or you could do all of this with one step.

Step

Click on the folder that you wish to delete. (Note: It is assumed that you have opened the folder and determined that its contents are ready for deletion) Once you have either pressed the DEL button or selected Delete from the File Menu, a "Confirm Folder Deletion" message will appear. Responding "Yes" will result in the folder and its entire contents being deleted. A "No" response, of course, will cancel the deletion process.

Okay, so it was two steps, but still straightforward enough.

Sometimes it is necessary to rename a file or folder for numerous reasons. For example, the file name may not be appropriate or valid.

Renaming Files and Folders

1. Click on the file or folder that you wish to rename.

2. Click again on the name of the file/folder. Make sure that you do not double-click. A double-click will result in the file being opened by its associated application.

    - a box should appear around the name, with the name highlighted

3. Enter the new name of the file or folder.

4. Press ENTER.

    - the name that you have supplied should now appear next to the file or folder

How have you done? It goes without saying that probably the hardest part of this file management business is remaining diligent and faithful to the process. Many of us will do as I normally do--begin the year organized thanks to New Year’s resolutions, do a thorough spring cleaning, follow up with a fall spruce-up largely because summer holidays were just long enough to have forgotten where all of the important files are, and finish with a small dusting at Christmas. After all, there are too many other things to do around Christmas besides organizing computer files!

Regardless, of how much time you choose to devote to file management, a well organized system of files will inevitably save you time, aggravation, and cyber space. Good luck.