Objective 6. Find Files and Folders

As you use a computer, you will likely accumulate a large number of files and folders. It's easy to forget where you stored a file, or what you named it. Windows XP provides a search function with which you can find files and folders.

Activity 1.8. Finding Files and Folders

In this activity, you will use several different methods to search for files and folders.

1.	In the Folder task pane, click My Computer. On the Standard Buttons toolbar, click the Search button , and then compare your screen with Figure 1.41.   Figure 1.41. The Search Companion task pane displays on the right. Here you can search for specific file types or you can search through all the files and folders.
2.	In the Search Companion task pane, click the All files and folders option. A search dialog box displays. Here you can specify the file name (or part of a file name) or text contained in the file. You can also narrow the search by specifying the search location.
3.	In the All or part of the file name box, type coaster and compare your screen with Figure 1.42.   Figure 1.42. The actual file name is capitalized, but this search option is not case sensitive.
4.	At the bottom of the task pane, click the Search button and then compare your screen with Figure 1.43.   Figure 1.43. (This item is displayed on page 49 in the print version) The search begins. Notice that a couple of files appear rather quickly, but the search program goes on and on. (You may see only one file, depending on the way your computer has been set up.) This is because you did not specify a location, so the program is checking all storage locations on the computer. You can click the Stop button at any time if the procedure seems to be taking too long.
5.	Click Stop to stop the current search. Click Start a new search, and then click Pictures, music, or video. Click to select the Pictures and Photos check box. In the All or part of the file name box, type surf. This is part of several file names in the Life Saving Service Drawings folder on your student CD.
6.	In the Search Companion task pane, click the Use advanced search options check box to add more search options. At the right of the Look in box, click the arrow. From the location list, click your student CD and then compare your screen with Figure 1.44. If you are not using the CD, select the location where your student files are stored.     Figure 1.44.
7.	At the bottom of the task pane, click the Search button. Compare your screen with Figure 1.45.   Figure 1.45. Three files are found. This time, the search only took a few seconds.
8.	Scroll down, if necessary, and click the Start a new search option. Click the Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) option. This dialog box gives you greater control over the search. You can search for documents that have specified file extensions, or you can search for documents last modified during a certain time period. You can even combine the two.
9.	Click in the All or part of the document name box and type *.doc Click the Use advanced search options check box to add more search options. At the right of the Look in box, click the arrow. From the location list, click your student CD or other student file location. This restricts the search to Word documents, which have the .doc extension. The asterisk is called a wildcard and means that you will be searching for anything that has the .doc extension. This is very helpful when you cannot remember the file name or where you put it.
10.	In the Search Companion task pane, click the Look in arrow again, and then click Local Disk (C:)or Local Hard Drives. Click the Search button. Compare your screen with Figure 1.46.   Figure 1.46. The right pane displays the files that have the .doc extension. The list might be quite long.
11.	On the Search Companion task pane, click the Stop button.

Objective 7 Compress Files