The purpose of this discussion is to learn more about managing data files. This session will begin with a review of the first session on How to Manage Data. We will discuss Libraries, Folders, and Files that are displayed in the Windows Explorer program. We will learn how to utilize Windows Explorer to manage our data. We will discuss, cut, copy, paste, move, delete, rename, save, and backup during the discussion.
The focus of this session is to learn about managing more types of data on more types of devices. The second session begins with a discussion of copying files from external devices to the hard drive. The next topics will focus on specific types of files such as image files (including pictures), audio files (including music), and scanning documents.
We will learn about managing image files using Picasa. This free software provides the ability to organize, edit, and share image
The main lesson of Session I was to learn how Data Files are stored on the Hard Drive. We learned the Operating System uses Windows Explorer to manage Data Files. Windows
Explorer uses Libraries, Folders, and Files to help organize Data Files. Windows Explorer enables the user to store and find Data Files, and also Copy, Move, Delete, Send, Retrieve, and Change Data Files.
Windows Explorer is the File and Folder Manager for Microsoft Windows 7. It’s primary purpose is to allow the computer user to find, view, copy, move, delete, and manage files and folders.
The File and Folder structure is used to organize all your data files. This includes program documents like Word documents and Excel spreadsheets as well as digital images including pictures, audio files, and movies.
Windows Explorer is located on the Task Bar in Windows 7 and can be pinned to the Task Bar and Start Menu.
How to Navigate Windows Explorer is described in some detail in the first round table discussion on computers. There you will also find a listing of Windows Explorer Functions.
Understanding the parts of a window
When you open a folder or library, you see it in a window. The various parts of this window are designed to help you navigate around
Windows or work with files, folders, and libraries more easily. Here's a typical window and each of its parts:
For more information on this topic, paste the following link to your browser:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/working-with-files- folders#1TC=windows-7
Libraries enable you to organize folders from different locations.
You can include folders from various locations, then view and arrange the files as one collection. You can browse your files in the same way you would in a folder, or you can view your files arranged by properties like date, type, and author. Libraries don’t actually store your items. They monitor folders that contain your items and let you arrange them in different ways. For example, you could access all you music files in one library.
Folders provide a way of organizing similar files together. You can create, rename, and move folders. Folders can be
contained in other folders. For example, a Genealogy Folder might contain ‘Family’ Folders for each family being researched.
This makes saving and finding files easier.
Data Files provide a way to store information that can be displayed to the user. There are different types of data files.
Application Programs and Windows Explorer provide the ability to manage data files. This includes storing the data files to the computer hard disk drive, saving and retrieving data files, making copies of data files, changing the data files (normally done through the Application Program), and Backing up the data files to another location or another device.
You can rename data files using Windows Explorer. Files should have names that are both descriptive and memorable. For example, ‘Family Pictures from Denver Zoo in August 2014’
would help me know what is in the folder and also find the folder if I am looking for it. For example, I could search for ‘Zoo’
‘Family’ ‘August’ , all of them to find the folder with the pictures.
When data files are deleted from your computer, they are usually
‘moved’ to the Recycle Bin. In the event you accidentally delete a data file, you can ‘Recover’ it from the Recycle Bin. The file will be restored in the same condition it was in prior to being deleted. When the Recycle Bin is emptied, the files are permanently deleted from your computer.
The main lesson of Session I was to learn how Data Files are stored on the Hard Drive. We learned the Operating System uses Windows Explorer to manage Data Files. Windows
Explorer uses Libraries, Folders, and Files to help organize Data Files. Windows Explorer enables the user to store and find Data Files, and also Copy, Move, Delete, Send, Retrieve, and Change Data Files.
In Session II, we will learn more about moving and copying files from external devices. We will learn about different types of data files and how to manage different types of data files. We will learn about image files, including pictures. We will learn to move pictures from and to external devices. We will learn about audio files and how to manage audio files.
We will learn how to move data files to and from smart phones, CD/DVDs, flash drives, and more.
The best way to copy files from external devices is to think of a train.
Start by opening Windows Explorer in two different windows. One will be the From window and the other will be the To window. Now, find the file to copy in the From window. Now, find the location where you want to copy the file in the To window. Now, Copy the data file from the From window (external device) to the To window (computer).
(Make sure to have your phone "trust" your computer by turning on the phone and selecting "trust" from the pop-up.)
The process to copy files to an external device is exactly the opposite of the above scenario. Open two windows. Identify the desired From and To locations for the data file. Now, copy the data file from the computer to the external drive.
In many instances, you can use Windows Explorer to manage data files on external devices. The same commands that are used on the computer to manage data files normally apply to external devices. For example, after you successfully copy your pictures from your external device to your computer, you might want to Delete the pictures from the external device. Use Windows Explorer to accomplish this task.
Before deleting, make sure your data files are securely stored on the computer!
The computer stores photographs as image files. There are many types of image files used to display images on the
computer. Photographs may be stored in several types of image files. The size and quality of the photographic image is
determined by the type of image file. The most common type of image file for photographs is JPEG. We will learn more about JPEG shortly.
You can move and copy image files including pictures. In
addition, some programs allow you to edit the pictures. You can enhance the color and brightness, crop the image, straighten, and resize the pictures.
You can manage image files with Windows Explorer. In addition, you can send and receive pictures via Email, Message, and External Device(s). We will investigate some examples.
There are numerous Image File formats. Most people are familiar with JPEG as that is the most common digital file format and is the default format for most digital cameras.
TIFF is a commonly used format for OCR software packages.
BMP files are uncompressed and have a simple structure. The desktop on your PC is probably a BMP file.
For more information on Image File Formats, Paste the following URL in your browser:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_file_formats
GIF files are commonly used in animation. PNG files are an open-source alternative to GIF. RIF files are raw image formats captured by some digital cameras. They can be edited and also converted to JPEG.
For more information and examples of Image File types paste the following URL in your browser:
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/different-image-formats/
Scanners capture a digital image of the contents on the surface.
DPI (Dots per Inch) is used to determine quality and size of scanned images. The higher the DPI, the higher the quality and the larger the image.
Choosing the proper file type is critical when scanning documents.
Windows Explorer provides the ability to manage scanned data files including copying, moving, and renaming scanned images.
For more information on Scanning Documents and Images paste the following URL in your browser:
http://www.meetingtomorrow.com/cms-category/tips-for- scanning-documents-and-images
It is important to select the correct scan settings based on the type of image data file you are scanning. Photographic Images are normally scanned at the highest possible quality. Text and Color Documents should be scanned at 300 DPI resulting in a readable document with smaller file size.
For more information on Scanning Documents and Images paste the following URL in your browser:
http://www.meetingtomorrow.com/cms-category/tips-for- scanning-documents-and-images
In the presentation, I will show several scanned images that help illustrate the story. S. I. Trask was my grandfather. It was fun to learn that he had a Livery Barn in Steelville, Missouri.
An audio file format is a file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system.
There are three major groups of audio file formats: 1)
Uncompressed audio formats, such as WAV, (or AIFF on MAC), 2) formats with lossless compression, such as MPEG-4 and WMA, and 3) formats with lossy compression, such as MP3, WMA lossy.
For more information on Audio File Types and Formats paste the following URL in your browser:
http://www.audiostream.com/content/guide-common-music-file- types
Hundreds of file formats exist for recording and playing digital sound and music files. Some common examples are listed in the presentation above.
MPEG Layer III Audio, MP3, is the most common audio file format used today. WAV is a standard audio file container format used mainly in Windows PCs. It provides CD-quality sound files, which means that they can be large in size – around 10MB per minute.
To learn more about Common Audio Formats past the following URL in your browser.
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Computer_Science/digit al_audio_formats.asp
Connect Flash Drive to Computer via USB port. Open flash drive using Windows Explorer on the computer. Select Audio File(s) to download from Flash Driver to Computer.
To play an Audio File, Click on the file and the default Audio Player Application will start. Click on the Right Arrow Button to begin playing. Click on the Pause Button to pause play.
You can copy Audio Files to a CD. Use Windows Explorer to locate the Audio File. Then use Windows Explorer to copy the Audio File to a blank CD. Right Click on the Audio File(s) and click on ‘Send To’ and then click on DVD RW Drive (or any of the other places you would like to send the Audio File).
Gene Jones and Monroe Jones were brothers. Gene Jones had a wife named Lelar. They lived across the fields from Grandma and Grandpa Buckner. Gene Jones was very tall and skinny. He had glasses but he was blind. He could hardly see to get around at all. He had a cane.
This picture prompted a recollection about the brothers and their family that I recorded. Now, I have the picture and the story that goes with it.
Picasa is a free Photo Management Application. It allows you to completely manage and ‘get control’ of your pictures and videos.
Picasa will automatically import all the pictures on your computer and create a directory of the pictures. (It does not move the pictures – but creates a directory.)
You can view and edit the pictures in Picasa. It also provides the ability to create picture ‘albums’, send pictures via email, print pictures, share them on the internet, and export the files to external drives or to be printed.
Note: Picasa provides an easy method to manage all your pictures and videos in one location. It finds all the pictures and videos on your PC and organizes them. Then, it enables you to create libraries of pictures for viewing or sharing without
changing the location of the pictures on the hard disk drive.
Type the following URL in your browser and press the Enter key http://picasa.google.com/
Note: You may need to temporarily disable your Internet Security Software.
The Picasa for Windows XP/Vista/7 is displayed Click on Download Picasa blue button
picasa39-setup.exe will be in your Windows Explorer Downloads Double-Click on picasa39-setup to install Picasa on your computer Click the Run button when asked ‘Do you want to run this file?’
When you click the ‘Finish’ button to complete the installation, Picasa runs for the first time.
Picasa will scan your computer for photos to display.
For More Detailed Installation Steps for Windows and Mac paste the following URL in your browser:
https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/106563?hl=en
For more detailed information and help click the Picasa Download and Installation Troubleshooting Link below:
https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/15436?hl=en
Picasa will automatically organize photos from your computer by date. You can edit the file name and add additional information.
This helps when trying to find photos of a specific event.
Picasa provides tools to make photo editing easy and fast. It is very user friendly and intuitive. It does not require reading a manual to use the editing. It does not make permanent changes to your pictures, so you can always revert back to the original.
Picasa makes sending photos easy whether by email, export to CD/DVD or uploading to the Internet.
For more detailed information and help click the Picasa Download and Installation Troubleshooting Link below:
https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/15436?hl=en For more detailed information and help click the Picasa Download and Installation Troubleshooting Link below:
Picasa will organize the photos according to the date they were originally taken or scanned. By organizing your photos on the hard drive by year, Picasa will reflect the organization on the hard drive.
My recommendation is to create folders in My Picture by year.
Then move each folder of photographs to the correct year. I named my folders 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, etc. Then, I moved the pictures to the appropriate year. Then, I renamed the pictures with the correct date or title in the name. It might be a specific date or it might be a specific event. That makes it easier to locate the
pictures. You might also organize your genealogical photos by last name on your hard drive using Windows Explorer. They will appear that way in Picasa.
Picasa will help organize the photographs. You can create new Digital Albums using Picasa without moving the original
photographs. This enables you to gather pictures with a similar theme that might be in several different folders and create a virtual digital album. This album can be viewed, played as a slide show, uploaded to the internet, or copied to an external device.
Editing Photos in Picasa is easy to learn. Double-click a picture from the library to open in Editing.
You can easily edit pictures in Picasa. You can straighten, crop, improve color and brightness, and add text. You can easily remove redeye created when using a flash. You can make a copy of the picture and even create a collage of pictures.
Picasa does not make changes to the original image of the
photo. You can always ‘UNDO’ any changes you have made to a picture.
You can find the real location of your picture on the computer in Picasa. Open the picture in Picasa. Right click on the picture.
Click on ‘Locate on Disk’ to find the location of the picture.
Windows Explorer will open and the picture data file will be highlighted. The actual location of the file will be in the Address
Picasa makes it easy to email a photo or several photos. Simply select the photo(s) to email, click the Email Icon, enter the Email addresses, enter a title and message, and click the send Icon.
You can create a CD of selected photos or an album. Click the Create button on the menu, select Create a Gift CD, then Burn Disc. Put a blank CD in the computer and a CD of the pictures will be created.
If you would prefer to share your photos on the Internet, you can upload photos to the Internet using Picasa. The photos can then be shared with family and friends using Google Plus.
Picasa is free and easy to use and is the most user friendly photography software I have found.
Select Photo(s) to include in your Movie (video). You can create a custom selection of pictures or select an Album.
Click on the Create Movie Icon. (Click Create on the Menu and select Selection to create movie from selection.) The movie maker window opens. Add music by clicking the Load button.
Select the music for the video. The music must be in mp3 or wma format to work in Picasa. (We will learn more about converting audio files in Session III.)
Click on the Slide tab to edit the movie title.
Review the selections in the drop downs. You can preview the movie by clicking the play icon. Click the Create button to create a Movie. The movie will be displayed in Picasa.
Questions?
Questions?
To learn more about Audio File Formats go to:
http://www.nch.com.au/acm/formats.html
Incomputing, a directory is afile systemcataloging structure which contains references to othercomputer files, and possibly other
directories. On many computers directories are also known as folders.
Files are organized by storing related files in the same directory. In ahierarchical file system(that is, one in which files and directories are organized in a manner that resembles atree), a directory contained inside another directory is called a subdirectory. The top-most directory in such a file system, which does not have a parent of its own, is called the root directory.
The name folder, presenting an analogy to thefile folderused in offices, and is used in a hierarchical file system design and is used in almost all modernoperating systems' desktop environments. Folders are often depicted withiconswhich visually resemble physical file folders.
If one is referring to a container of documents, the term folder is more appropriate. The term directory refers to the way a structured list of document files and folders is stored on the computer. The distinction
A file can be anything, a document is a specifically formatted file containing text and/or pictures, etc. that is intended to be read using an appropriate application. For example, a Word document is a type .doc or .docx file while an Excel Spreadsheet is a type .xls or .xlsx file. Each of these documents is a particular type of file specific to an application.
The Libraries feature in Windows 7 provides a central place to manage files that are located in multiple locations throughout your computer. Instead of clicking through a bunch of directories to find the files you need, including them in a library makes for quicker access.
For more information on Windows 7 Libraries cut and paste the following link in you browser:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en- us/windows7/products/features/libraries
Incomputing, a file system (or filesystem) is used to control how data is stored and retrieved. Without a file system, information placed in a storage area would be one large body of data with no way to tell where one piece of information stops and the next begins.
By separating the data into individual pieces, and giving each piece a name, the information is easily separated and identified. Taking its
