Course File Management

Editorial V: Saving a Document

Where did it go? It went where I put it!!

There is no great mystery about saving documents. A document will go wherever you put it. However, if you don't pay attention, it's likely to end up where you least expect it. A few tips about saving documents before we view the working demonstration:

What drive is it on? You can save it anywhere--the "A" drive (floppy disk), the "C" drive (hard drive inside the computer) or a zip/jazz drive (external). You have to tell the computer where you want it.
What folder is it in? Once you've chosen the drive, you must then select the folder. You can put it in any folder you want. Better you should choose the folder than the computer.
What is the of the name of the file? You can call it anything you like, but remember the filename conventions we talked about? Play it safe, and use only 8-character file names. For consistency, use all lowercase letters in filenames. Then you never have to wonder, "Did I capitalize the name of that file?"
What is the extension? If you have created a MicrosoftWord document, be sure the extension is .doc. If it is anything else, MicrosoftWord won't be able to read it the next time you try to open it.

When you have answered all these questions in the "SAVE" dialogue box, you are ready to click "OK" and save your file.

"SAVE AS" vs. "SAVE"

The first time you save a document, you want to click on "File" then "Save As." The "SAVE AS" command gives you the opportunity to name the file. Any time you save the file after it has been named, you can simply click on "File" then "Save" and it will automatically be stored under the same name and in the original location. The new file will overwrite the old one, replacing it on your disk. If you accidentally click on "SAVE" instead of "SAVE AS," Microsoft Word will save you from yourself and automatically open up the "SAVE AS" dialogue box and ask you to name the file.

Paths

Once a file or folder has been saved, it will have a specific address on the computer, just as you have one for your home. This "address," or where a file lives, is called a path. Here's an example:

C:\msoffice\winword\mydocs\test.doc

This path says the following: This file is stored on the "C" drive (C:\), in the program folder called msoffice, in the "winword" program folder, which contains another folder called "mydocs." My file is named "test" and it is an Microsoft Word document because it has a .doc extension on it. Notice that each level of the hierarchy is separated by a backslash "\". The highest level is the drive; the lowest level is the file name. This may not seem important now, but it will in the next tutorial.

Now it's your turn ...

For now, let's view the working demonstration on how to save a document. When you have finished viewing the demo, save the document you currently have open in Microsoft Word. First, create a folder on the "A" drive called "tests." Then save your document into that folder.