File Management

I lost my file, how can I find it?

There are several places it could be. If you are using your own computer, you can always do a Search (right-click My Computer, and then select Search…) and type in all or part of the file name. That often lets you know where your file is when it is accidentally saved to a different place on your hard drive.

If you are using a public computer like the ones in the library or classrooms, the My Documents folder should lead to your server folder. Get into the habit of saving a another copy on your server. (See below)

One caution: Be careful not to “over-write” a file unless you are absolutely sure that you don’t need the old version anymore. If you overwrite a file with a new version (or even a blank file), then the old data is permanently gone and cannot be recovered. Overwriting a document is one of the errors that can not be reversed once it is done, so be careful!

How do I back-up (also known as “make backup copies of”) my files?

There are a number of ways to back up your files. In addition to keeping a copy of a file on your own machine, we encourage you to save another copy on the CAServer, our student file server and storage area. This has a number of advantages:

• You can get to it from any other network-ready computer, if yours breaks;

• It is backed up to tape, and has its own power supply backup for power outages;

• It is scanned for viruses every day;

• This is how most businesses and schools operate, so you might as well get comfortable with it.

Other options include:

• Burning files to a CD or CD-RW; you can make archives (Jan 2004, Feb 2004, etc.) so that: (1) files don’t take up a lot of space on your computer and (2) you have backups in case your entire computer crashes and will not restart!

• Using a USB pendrive/ Thumbdrive/ or Flashdrive to transport files from computer to computer. (Note: small USB memory drives DO have a lifetime limit; they can be used for a long while but they will eventually fail. Do not keep vital information only on your USB portable drive alone!)

Less useful/ much less desirable options: use only if desperate, as these have serious problems.

• E-mailing it to yourself—do this only as a last resort; be careful that you do not put big files in there or you will max out your allotted email space and automatically shut off your account!

• If you must use email, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER WORK ON THE FILE FROM WITHIN FIRSTCLASS. SAVE IT TO THE DESKTOP. If you work on it inside FirstClass (i.e. just double-clicking to work on the attachment inside your email) it is only a TEMPORARY file and when you close FirstClass it will be GONE and UNRETRIEVABLE.

• Floppy Disks are unreliable and NOT recommended, as they fail often; they are 20-year old technology and they are being phased out. You should note that new computers often do not even have them anymore!

What else should I do to manage my computer files?

There are a number of important points to remember in managing your files, here at Cushing Academy and anywhere else you go as well. Having backup copies of important work is something you will need to do whenever you use computers for the rest of your life.

The following points apply specifically to Cushing Academy, but the idea will be the same when you go to college, to work, or anywhere.

(1) For Cushing Academy purposes, use a major product like Microsoft Word for documents, NOT Microsoft Works or WordPerfect. You will need some form of Microsoft Office on your computer that has Word, Excel, and possibly PowerPoint for certain classes. The other programs are older (and less compatible) products, and support for them is likely to be phased out. They will also cause problems when moving from computer to computer, so it limits your options to get your work done on other computers when your own computer is not working properly.

(2) Some notes on organization - Keep your work organized- it will make it much, much easier for you in the long run.

Use different names as you update and make revisions (Huck Finn outline, Huck Finn_revised, Huck Finn_Final Draft). You definitely don’t want to sort through 27 copies of “My Paper”, scattered over 4 computers, in your email, and on your desktop.

If you are turning in a paper to your teacher by putting it into a drop box, make sure that you give it a unique name!! If 10 students all drop off a paper called “Final Paper”, it will overwrite each copy they are turned in. Name it Joe Student final paper, or JStudent Final, or something unique!

Why can't I open a Mac file on a PC?

Most applications are actually cross-platform; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, as well as pictures, sounds, and music will work on both Macs and PCs. However, when moving a Mac-created file to a PC, you might have to rename the file with an extension (.doc, .xls, .ppt) so the PC knows what it is looking at. For example:

• Word documents need a .doc suffix when on a PC: --> Lab Report.doc

• Excel spreadsheets use .xls : --> Accounts.xls

• PowerPoint presentations use .ppt : --> Slideshow.ppt

• Filemaker files use .FP5 : --> Recipes.FP5

• JPEGs are .jpg, MP3s are .MP3, etc., etc., etc..

Often you just rename the file, then open the application (Word, Excel, etc.) and from inside the application use the File -> Open command and you should be able to view the file.