The “correct” place for a file, according to our organizational rationale, is very often a very, A file may simply “belong” in two or more different locations within your file structure. Name- The name of any file is the informat… If you have enough of these folders (I have several hundred, being a geek, collected over 20 years), then you may want to further categorize them. And you will also have some folders that contain both files and sub-folders. An example is below (from my folder that contains all files downloaded from the Internet): To learn how to change your folder icons, please refer to our dedicated article on the subject. Set the default “download” location for your browser to this folder. Right-drag (drag with the right mouse button) the file from the source folder to the destination folder. In fact, you can create a dozen such icons and scatter them all over your hard disk. 1. Place all documents under a single "root" folder. In other words, whatever organizational system you create, apply it to every computer that you can. Create your own file system from scratch! We suggest you try the following to help find what you’re looking for: The information on this page is for Archive Purposes Only. It also causes all your shortcuts to continue to work on the other machines (more about this in tip #24, below). You will notice slight improvements in how long it takes you to locate a file if you try to avoid this third type of folder. A Windows Explorer window then opens with your chosen version of the Start Menu selected. This will be one of your most-visited folders, so convenience is key. Hence it is up to the programmer to decide the best suited file organization method depending on his requirement. It’s a bit like a tree. Granted, most Windows programs store their configuration in the Registry, but there are still many programs that use configuration files to store their settings. The filing method under which files and folders are arranged in order of alphabets of the names of person or institution concerned with such file is alphabetical classification. Create an “Inbox” (“To-Do”) Folder. The Microsoft boffins finally got wise and added it to the Windows 7 Superbar by default. Clean Up those CD-ROMs and (shudder!) The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support How-To Geek. Ten levels is not uncommon. Before you go to the trouble of implementing any system you come up with, examine a wide cross-section of the files you own and see if they will all be able to find a nice logical place to sit within your system. The Data\System folder contains the following sub-folders: These are usually themes, plug-ins and other downloadable program-specific resources. A project or client-based structure is perhaps the simplest to stick to. After that, import statements can follow. In Windows 7 your files are found in C:\Users\YourName, whilst on Windows XP it was C:\Documents and Settings\YourName\My Documents. With this method no time could be wasted searching for a file. Pick one style and stick with it, or you may find yourself having to reorganize your files yet again. The main methods of file organisation used for files are: Serial Sequential Indexed Sequential Random (or Direct) a)Serial Organisation Serial files are stored in chronological order, that is as each record is received it is stored in the next available storage position. Whenever you have a file that you’d like to access from somewhere else (whether it’s convenience you’re after, or because the file simply belongs in two places), create a shortcut to the original file in the new location. The cool part is that the original files stay where they are, safe forever in their perfectly organized location. In effect, it becomes a sort of “to-do list”. It can be a very useful idea to create yourself a folder to store all your “settings” – files that are important to you but which you never actually search for by name and double-click on to open them. In other words, make sure that your “Inbox”, wherever it is, Desktop or otherwise, is kept free of junk – stray files that don’t belong there. Take that extra 20 seconds and come up with a meaningful name for the file/folder – one that accurately divulges its contents without repeating the entire contents in the name. And every operating system has a different system! When you let go of the mouse button at the destination folder, a menu pops up: There’s less to remember. Then, the next time you glance at the folder, you won’t have to remember whether that file was supposed to be there or not, because you won’t see it at all! But you may be using some of the other folders to store files that are important to you. You can think of this folder as your “to-do” list. In other words, you’d want to create shortcuts to half the pages on the How-To Geek website! If the computers are permanently attached to the same local network, then there’s no need to store multiple copies of any one file or folder – shortcuts will suffice. Anyone who considers themselves serious about being organized needs instant access to this program at any time. This include: sequential, random, serial and; indexed-sequential; Sequential file organization To find these folders and files, click the Start button and then right-click on the All Programs text (Windows XP users should right-click on the Start button itself): The Open option refers to the “just you” version of the Start Menu, while the Open All Users option refers to the “all users” version. If you’re on Windows 7, your Superbar will include a Windows Explorer icon. You might want to locate the shortcuts: Tip #30. After dealing with an excess of clutter for years, I wanted to whip my house into shape. Use synonyms for the keyword you typed, for example, try “application” instead of “software.”. If it’s suggesting that you save the file into the same folder as the software itself, then definitely don’t follow that suggestion. Tip #36. Some of the file organizations are. Below is an example of one such structure: In this structure, Utilities means software whose job it is to keep the computer itself running smoothly (configuration tools, backup software, Zip programs, etc). Application files are the components of the software you’ve installed (e.g. File it in your own folder! When creating a backup regime, it’s easy to decide what files should be backed up – they’re all in the one folder! Having two parallel structures can often be redundant:  If you are the only user of the computer, then having two parallel structures is totally redundant. The following table suggests essential file drawers to label in an actual file cabinet or two and what must-keep information to file in each: File Drawer What To Put There File Drawer What To Put There Accounting and bookkeeping records Sales and […] Organize Files Based on Purpose, Not on File Type. I only created this one because 40 is such a nice round number…. These tips have saved my sanity and helped keep me a productive geek, but what about you? => DBA might choose the … But there are many files that are important to us that can’t be saved into folders, and then searched for and double-clicked later on. To take control of your Start Menu, so you can start organizing it, you’ll need to know how to access the actual folders and shortcut files that make up the Start Menu (both versions of it). Imagine if you lost all of the above files! It’s a good rule to always separate unimportant files from important files. it is frequency executed. To change this default/starting folder location, then first right-click the Explorer icon in the Superbar, and then right-click Properties: Gather them all together into one folder. This method defines how file records are mapped onto disk blocks. For some, the answer to this question is self-evident. Method of processing. It almost goes without saying. If you have more than one computer, you’ll almost certainly want to share files between them. That Quick Launch bar (to the right of the Start button) is a lot more useful than people give it credit for. Log off and log on again to allow the changes to take effect. The most common type is the sequential access file. It sounds heretical, but: Don’t ever visit your “My Documents” folder! The folder at the top of the list, _Misc, contains random photos that didn’t deserve their own dedicated folder: Tip #29. The Windows Start Menu is usually one of the messiest parts of any Windows computer. Yet sometimes there are files in a folder that seem out of place but actually need to be there, such as the “folder art” JPEGs in music folders, and various files in the root of the C: drive. Being disorganized is simply unthinkable. Let’s start with some simple rules for … And others create a folder based on the name of the software manufacturer. In general it is only used on a serial medium such as magnetic tape. We might have files we need to store on the D: drive for space reasons, and yet want to base our organized folder structure on the C: drive (or vice-versa). The “Quick Launch” bar (or the Superbar in Windows 7) is always visible and so represents a perfect location to put your icons. Tip #27. Organize Files Based on Purpose, Not on File Type. Tip #25. If you’re still not convinced of the utility of shortcuts, consider the following well-known areas of a typical Windows computer: Each item in each of these areas is a shortcut! The Sorted file method is another popular method for sequential file organization in the database management system. The cluster file organization is used when there is a frequent request for joining the tables with same joining condition. “My Documents” is the worst offender. Well, we have a few options: There are some other things you may decide to locate inside this new “Settings” folder: Here’s an example of a “Settings” folder: This section details some of the features of Microsoft Windows that are a boon to anyone hoping to stay optimally organized. Whereas the files you have created with that software is, by definition, important. Did you know that it’s actually possible to store your files on the D: drive and yet access them as if they were on the C: drive? Tip #14. You will always have files that don’t play nice with your organizational rationale, and can’t be filed in only one place. If you don’t have access to the Group Policy Editor, then you’ll need to get into the Registry. If you never throw anything away, you’ll make the filing cabinet manufacturers very happy, but you’ll waste time trying to find anything. With the Windows Start Menu (all version of Windows), Microsoft has decided that there be two parallel folder structures to store your Start Menu shortcuts. The response time. For example, you might like to rename, Move the icon(s) into the correct folder based on your Start Menu organizational structure, Application icons (Word, Internet Explorer, etc) are often found on the Desktop, but it’s unlikely that this is the optimum place for them. So, I decided to tackle the KonMari method of organizing from Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.This post is all about the best way to organize paper files using KonMari’s organization method! I can’t think of another one. Your “Work” folder will have become a dumping ground, just like your Desktop was, with most likely hundreds of files in it. You may want to start off with a system based on the users of the computer. If you do, open it up and navigate to: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer > Common Open File Dialog. These methods may be efficient for certain types of access/selection meanwhile it will turn inefficient for other selections. 2. If you ever decide to trade in your computer for a new one, you know exactly which files to migrate, You will always know where to begin a search for any file. Instead, create your sub-folders based on the purpose of the file. One for you (the logged-in user of the computer) and one for all users of the computer. Once this has been done, and all your files live in one folder, all the other folders in C:\ can be thought of as “operating system” folders, and therefore of little day-to-day interest for us. In other words, do not base your folder structure in standard folders like “My Documents”. Some of the folders in your organizational structure will contain only files. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Further, keep with it an Internet shortcut that links back to the website where you originally downloaded it, in case you ever need to check for updates. The Mark folder contains the following sub-folders: The Others folder contains the following sub-folders: The VC (Virtual Creations, my business – I develop websites) folder contains the following sub-folders: And again, all of those are pretty self-explanatory. It may well be that all the files in a given sub-folder are of the same file-type, but this should be more of a coincidence and less of a design feature of your organization system. Check the spelling of your keyword search. Get used to creating folders on a regular basis. Shortcuts allow a file to exist in one place, and an icon that represents the file to be created and put anywhere else you please. Indexed (inverted) Access File Organisation 4. This folder contains all the recently created, received or downloaded files that you have not yet had a chance to file away properly, and it also may contain files that you have yet to process. See below: Each folder will present its own particular set of requirements for further. That way, all your files are always in their “correct” locations, yet you still have immediate, convenient access to your current, active files. In case you’re not aware, every icon in your Start Menu is a shortcut and can be manipulated like any other shortcut (copied, moved, deleted, etc). File organization is used to describe the way in which the records are stored in terms of blocks, and the blocks are placed on the storage medium. To finish off the article, I have included a few screenshots of my (main) computer (running Vista). There are four methods of organizing files on a storage media. It provides the efficient result when there is a 1:M mapping between the tables. Double-click on the Programs folder and you’ll see all your folders and shortcuts. Below is an example of a folder called “Quick links”, with about seven files (shortcuts) in it, that is accessible through the Windows Quick Launch bar: See tip #37 below for a full explanation of the power of the Quick Launch bar. Then, put those folders into the safe, fireproof box, or other spot where you plan to keep them. The highlighted icons (collectively known as the “Places Bar”) can be customized to refer to any folder location you want, allowing instant access to any part of your organizational structure. A great place to create a shortcut to this program is in the Windows XP and Windows Vista “Quick Launch” bar: To get it there, locate it in your Start Menu (usually under “Accessories”) and then right-drag it down into your Quick Launch bar (and create a copy). Why would you want that? Choose Your Organization System Carefully. This way, all your files live on one drive, while all the operating system and software component files live on the C: drive – simply and elegantly separated. A file is referred by its name, a name or string is a collection of character. There’s no need to find the target of the shortcut all over again on the second computer, Ditto for linked files (e.g Word documents that link to data in a separate Excel file), playlists, and. Cons of Cluster file organization. Use the Quick Launch Bar as a Application and File Launcher. To hide a file, simply right-click on it and choose Properties: These days most software is downloaded from the Internet. Tip #28. This is useful for backup purposes or for migrating to a new computer, Notes you’ve made about all the specific customizations you have made to a particular piece of software (so that you’ll know how to do it all again on your. Direct Access File Organisation 6. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft  \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ comdlg32 \ Placesbar. another method will be used to organize records chronologically (e.g., file folder names by date or event). There are various methods of file organizations. These aliases are called directory symbolic links (and used to be known as junctions). It’s not always possible, of course – you’ll always have some of these folders, but see if you can avoid it. Types of File Organization File Structure and Organization: Sequential. Thankfully we can avoid this chaos with useful operating system features like Quick Launch, the Superbar or pinned start menu items. A file will frequently have multiple versions, especially when it is So how to we get our important files into this folder? Whenever you download a piece of software, keep it. I’ve personally found them to be indispensable. There are several benefits to this: This applies even to the drive that your files are stored on. You may then realize that there are overlaps. Types of Cluster File Organization – There are two ways to implement this method: Indexed Clusters – In Indexed clustering the records are group based on the cluster key and stored together. i.e. But just in case you’re not, here are some tell-tale signs: But before we start, here are some quick notes: At the end of the article we’ll be asking you, the reader, for your own organization tips. Once your Inbox gets beyond a certain point (around 30 files, studies have shown), then you’ll simply start to avoid it. In fact, don’t even use the “My Documents” folder at all. Even so, it would make a lot of sense to get into the guts of the Start Menu itself and give it a good once-over. If your files are stored on C: on one computer, make sure they’re stored on C: on all your computers. That should keep them separated from incoming items. This method has the low performance for the very large database. ), There are also lesser rules, like “don’t move a file into your work area – create a shortcut there instead”, and “any time you find yourself frustrated with how long it takes to locate a file, create a shortcut to it and place that shortcut in a convenient location.”. This is always a matter of personal preference, and is not something that a geek on a website can tell you. If they had a hard disk failure or their computer was lost or stolen, their backup files would not include some of the most vital files they owned. The name of the folder is not important, but make it a single, brief word. When you go to save a standard file type, it can become annoying to be automatically prompted to save it in a folder that’s not part of your own file structure. The various file organization methods are: Sequential access. For an example of a Java program properly formatted, see "Java Source File Example" on page 19. ... and creating new folders labeled by year and subject, moving files as needed. And of course, you can create shortcuts to folders too, not just to files! For example, you may decide that your entire D: drive contains your complete organizational file structure, but that you need to reference all those files as if they were on the C: drive, under C:\Files. In an ideal world, it might look like this: Tip #23. Tip #10. Each of those areas exist for one purpose only:  For convenience – to provide you with a collection of the files and folders you access most often. 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