Basic File Tasks

Basic File Tasks

This is the real meat and potatoes behind the File Manager. It acts as a central location to conduct all of your basic file management tasks.

Copying Files

There are any number of reasons why you might want to copy a file, including making a backup so you don't affect the original or putting a copy onto a floppy disk. Whatever your reason, the File Manager makes copying files a breeze . Whether you're copying a file or a directory, the procedure is the same.

  1. Click on the item or items that you'd like to copy.

  2. Click on the Copy button . Your file has been copied to the Clipboard and can now be pasted to any other location.

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  3. Click on the directory where you'd like to place the copy.

  4. Click on the Paste button . Your copy will be placed in the directory you've selected.

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    Tip  

    If you right-click on any item in the File Manager, a menu will appear that will allow you to conduct all basic file tasks, including copying, pasting, renaming, and deleting files.

Moving Files

You can easily change the location of a file on your computer by simply clicking and dragging within the File Manager.

  1. Select the item(s) that you'd like to move. They will be highlighted, indicating that they are selected.

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  2. Click and drag the item(s) to the directory that you'd like them moved to.

  3. Release the mouse button , and a menu will appear.

  4. Click on the Move Here option. The item will have moved from its original location to this new location.

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Deleting Files

If you no longer require a file or directory, you can delete it from within the File Manager. When you delete it, you are actually sending it to the Trash directory. When you empty the Trash (see Chapter 5, "Taking Out the Trash"), the file will be permanently deleted from your computer.

  1. Select the item(s) that you wish to delete. They will be highlighted, indicating that they are selected.

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  2. Press the Del key . The Move to Trash dialog box will open , asking if you are sure you want to send the file to the Trash.

  3. Click on Trash , and the file will be sent to the Trash.

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Creating Directories

Organizing your files becomes a lot easier if you sort them into directories. What you call directories and where you put them is up to you, but for easiest access it may be a good idea to place frequently accessed directories in the Root directory.

  1. Click on the Root directory . All of the primary directories on your computer will appear in the File window.

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  2. Click on Edit , and a menu will appear.

  3. Click on Create New , and a submenu will appear.

  4. Click on Directory . The Browser dialog box will open, asking you to give your new directory a name .

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  5. Type a name for your directory. The name can be anything you choose.

  6. Click on the OK button , and your new directory will be created.

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Renaming Files or Directories

We've all been in a situation where the creative juices aren't flowing , and we just can't come up with, or we are too lazy to create, a file or folder with a proper name. I've had countless files on my computer called, Document1, Document2, Document3, etc. Not a very good way to manage your files, especially if you're in a hurry to find something. Lindows allows you to quickly rename the files and folders on your computer with any name you see fit. One word of caution: Some files are critical to the performance of your computer and may not work properly if renamed . Make sure you know the file or directory before you rename it.

  1. Right - click on the file or directory that you'd like to rename. A menu will appear.

  2. Click on Rename . The name of the file will be highlighted, and you'll be able to enter a new name.

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  3. Type a name for the file. Be sure to leave the extension of the file as is, otherwise the file may not work properly. For example, if you had a file named picture1.jpg, you can rename picture1 but leave the extension .jpg as is.

  4. Click on Enter , and the file will be renamed.

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Changing Permissions

File permissions tell the computer who is allowed to access the file and what are they allowed to do with it. There are three types of people that permissions can be set for: the User , which is you; a Group, which is a group of people defined by you; and Others, which is everyone else.

  1. Right - click on an item that you'd like to set permissions for. A menu will appear.

  2. Click on Properties to open up the Properties dialog box.

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  3. Click on the Permissions tab , and you'll be able to set the permissions for each level of user.

  4. Click on a Permission to either add it or remove it for a class of user.

    • Exec . Permission to execute a program file.

    • Write . Permission to edit the file.

    • Read . Permission to view the file.

  5. Click on OK , and the permissions will be set.

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Using File Manager as a Web Browser

You can actually surf the Web from within the File Manager in Lindows. This is particularly good if you'd like to grab a file from the Internet and store it within a directory on your hard drive. You can also reach ftp sites directly from the File Manager. Keep in mind that the browser within File Manager is just a simple Web surfer and does not have all the capabilities of Netscape Navigator that comes with Lindows.

  1. Click on the X icon in the Location Bar. This will clear any information and allow you to enter a URL (Universal Resource Locator) address.

  2. Type a URL address . An example of a URL would be www.lindows.com or ftp.kde.com.

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  3. Press the Enter key, and the Web site will appear in the File window.

  4. Click and drag a file or image from the Internet page to the desired directory.

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  5. Release the mouse button when you are over the desired directory. A menu will appear.

  6. Click on Copy Here , and the file will be copied to that directory.

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Using the Navigation Bar

The Navigation Bar can help you quickly access certain directories and Web sites.

  • Close . This will shut down the Navigation Window.

  • Configure . Allows you to change the settings for the Navigation Bar.

  • Bookmarks . A list of any links that you have bookmarked will appear in the Navigation Window.

  • History . A list of Web sites that you have recently visited will appear in the Navigation Window.

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  • Home . Your Home directory will open in the Navigation Window, showing your Desktop, Network, Mail, and My Documents directories.

  • Network . This will open a list of all of your network connections.

  • Root . This will display the contents of your Root Directory in the Navigation Window.

  • Services . Any services that you have set up will appear in the Navigation Window.

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Lindows Fast & Easy
Lindows Fast & Easy (Fast & Easy (Premier Press))
ISBN: 1592000606
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 152

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