Week 9:

4/1 Files and folders

Agenda for this week

Review last week (photo management)

Brief look at 1st 6 week survey

Presentation: Files and Folders

Breakout groups to practice files

Homework:

Review lesson

Try some of the suggested activities

Learn more about your device in resources

Also look on YouTube for video explanations of something you are interested in learning more about

Use the discussion board for questions or comments.

Take quiz

Recording:

Yes, this was a pretty detailed class. But just a reminder that you only need to understand your particular device (Windows 10, Windows 11, Mac, Chromebook) and can skip the rest. Here is a recording of the class. Email me (or use the discussion board) with any questions.

Quick links:

Handout

Handout listing tasks (good for taking notes in class)

Presentation

Quiz

Zoom link: https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09

Survey results:

Here are the results from the survey asked about the first 6 weeks of class.

What are Files and Folders?

Files and Folders:

Files are documents, photos, videos, and other content you save on your computer.
Folders are containers on your computer where you store and organize files. You can save a file on your computer, but it is better to store similar files in folders for easier access.

How to access files and folders

Our computers have a program where these files can be assessed:

If you are on Windows, it is called File Explorer (was called Windows Explorer)
If you are on a Mac, it is called Finder.
On the Chromebook, it is called Files

Your smartphones also have a file program.

On the iPhone, it is called Files
On your Android device, it is also called Files

Computers

Smartphones

NOTE: There is an online tutorial explaining files and folders for Windows computers. Although it does not cover Macs, it does provide insight on how files and folders work, and details on the sections below. You can view the tutorial by going to: https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/windowsbasics/working-with-files/1/

Comparing the files programs

Below are screenshots of the programs (Windows 10 and 11, Mac and Chromebook)

Windows 10

Windows 11

Mac

Chromebook

Folder vs File and File types explained

Folder:

File:

Identifying files:

Files are identified by the way they were formatted. There are quite a few types of file formats. In addition to formats that files are saved in, there are also formats for editing, storing and more. Your computer must have the software available to open a particular file. For example, you need the Excel program to open a .xls file. Some examples include:

Picture files (.jpg, .gif, .tiff)
Document files (.docx for Microsoft Word, .pdf for portable document files, .txt for plain text)
Music files (.wma, .mp3)
Video files (.mp4 for general video, .m4V for Apple, .mov for QuickTime)
Presentation files (.ppt for PowerPoint)
Spreadsheet files (.xls for Microsoft excel, .csv for comma separated values on excel),
Program files (.exe)

Customizing your view

There are a number of ways that you can customize your view of the files. You can view them as icons (in different sizes), as a list, by details, in tiles and by content. You can also decide whether to have a details pane (details about the file) or a preview pane (quick view of the file)

How to customize your view

- Windows 10 has a “ribbon interface”. Use it to select things to do within the File Explorer. For example, if “properties” is selected, when you click on a file/folder, you will see the properties box. If rename is clicked, you can then use that icon to easily rename the file/folder that you select. The Windows menu bar in File Explorer also has several views, each with a unique set of options. They include: File, Home, Share and View
- Windows 11 uses a menu bar at the top, making it easier to see the options and to customize the view. Click on View to see more.
- Mac also uses a menu bar

Windows 10: Ribbon interface

Windows 10 uses tabs at the top of the bar. Each of the tabs will show different ways to customize your view. You can have different options in each of the tabs (file, home, share and view).

In addition, Windows 10 offers a quick look. If you want to add something quickly (undo, redo, etc.) click on the down arrow on the top.

File

Home

View

Windows 11 and Mac have a menu bar

Windows 11

Mac uses a menu bar. Click on View to modify.

Working with files

Finding the pathway

All of the systems provide a pathway so you can find where this file is located.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 provide a clear pathway. In the address bar, you will see the string of folders to get to where you are. It may look something like this: This PC>Documents>CWT>files and folders. In this case the actual file is found by following that pathway.
MacOS is a little less complex. When selecting the initial folder (such as documents), The name of the folder will be shown in the address bar, with the available folders within this folder found below. While in the Finder window, you can arrange the folders in icons, list, columns or gallery by clicking on the icon with vertical lines at the top. The second icon (lines and circles) allows you to arrange by name, application, date or more.
Chromebook is similar to Windows with the pathway at the top.

Windows 10

Windows 11

Mac

Zipping folders:

You may wish to send someone a group of files. Of course, you can put them on the cloud and send them a link. But you can also zip them and send this zip folder (the only type of folder you can email!) to them.

Windows 10

Select the files that you wish to send. With your cursor in the highlighted area, right click. Select Send to and then “compressed (zipped) folder. Your new folder will have a Z, an extension of .zip and be named after the last file you selected. You can change the name by right clicking on it and choosing “rename”.

Windows 11

Select the files you want to compress. With your cursor in the highlighted area, click on the 3 dots in the upper right. Select Compress to Zip file. You will now see a file with a .zip ending, named after one of the files. Rename so you will find it easier.

Mac:

Open Finder and select the files you wish. Right click and choose “compress”. The default name for this is “archives”. You can change by right clicking on the new file and selecting “rename”. It will also have a .zip ending.

Chromebook:

No need to zip files on the cloud, which most of your files will be found. Instead, locate the files on your Drive account, select “share” and get the link needed to share with someone else.

Opening a Zip folder

For Mac, you would double click on the .zip folder. It will then appear as a regular folder and your files will be available.

For Windows 10, it will open in your Zip program. You will have to extract the files and then save them. Click on Edit and then Select all. Select Extract. It will show you where it wants to save these new files. If you want to choose a different location, click on the 3 dots in the square next to the “copy to” window.

For Windows 11, double click on the .zip folder. Click on Extract all. Select the destination folder and choose "extract".

Windows 10

Windows 11

Saving files:

To save a file while working, you will go to File (Mac and Windows) and select Save. The first time you save a document, it will ask you where you wish to save it to. The second time you save a document, it will override the original document. If you want to keep the original document, choose “save as” for the second document.

If you are creating a file in Word, you might want to save in PDF as well as Word. This way, you can share with others who may not have Word installed.

You can save to any folder on your device. This includes not only document folders, but flash drives or cloud drives.

If you are working on “the cloud” (such as using Google Docs on your Chromebook), your document will automatically save every few seconds to the cloud. If you want to save it to your device, you will have to “save as”.

Moving files into folders

Each of the programs have preset folders for documents, images, videos and downloads.

Each program allows you to drag and drop a file or folder from one spot to another. To do this, you select the file/folder that you want by clicking on it, then drag into the new folder. If instead you want to make a copy so that the file or folder will be in both places, click on it and select “copy”.

Create a folder within a folder

Windows 10: Open File Explorer and Home. Go to the folder where you want to create a new folder. (Such as documents). Click on “new folder”. Make sure and name it.
Windows 11: Open File Explorer. Go to folder where you want to create a new folder. Click on "new". Select "Folder". Name it.
Mac: Open Finder. Open the folder where you want to create a new folder. Click on the circle with the 3 dots and select “new folder”.

Windows 10

Windows 11

Mac

Finding the downloaded files

Downloaded files will go to the download folder by default. Get in the habit of looking at what you have downloaded after doing so. Then, put it somewhere on your computer in the proper folder. You can then delete the file from downloads.
Both Windows and Mac have a desktop folder. This contains all of the folders and files you see on the desktop (the screen when you are working). Chromebook doesn’t have one set up, since things are not saved to the desktop in Chrome.

Cloud storage

Each of the systems provide a type of cloud storage, depending on the operating system. These are found in the Files folder and are updated to the cloud periodically. You will have to be signed into the cloud when using to access these files.

Windows provides OneDrive
Mac provides iCloud Drive
Chrome provides Google Drive

Searching within the Folder apps

Each program provides a search icon, which is very powerful. Find the search icon and search for a file.

Work with devices on your network

The Network folder allows you to access and interact with other computers and devices connected to your local network, enabling you to share files, printers, and other resources between computers within the same network.

You can find this with both Windows and Mac.

Recycle or trash

Mac has a trash can. It is found on the dock. You can drag files into the trash can. Files remain until you empty them.
Windows 10 has the Recycle Bin. It is found in Windows Explorer under Libraries. It is also found on your desktop. You can drag files and folders into this folder to delete them.
Windows 11 also has the recycle bin, found on your desktop. You can also use the search feature built into the Windows OS by clicking on the search icon next to the Windows icon on the taskbar and typing in "recycle bin".
You can delete files on the Chromebook by clicking on the file and selecting the trash can (or right click and select delete). However, I don’t think you can get them back when you do.