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File Management

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Managing Your Files

Updated May 13, 2002

R:\Courses - Faculty folders used to share files with students. Students have Read-Only access. Files are able to be viewed from labs and classrooms without login, but modifying files requires Faculty login from labs or classroom. The folders from G: have been moved to R:\Courses. If you do not have a folder in this area you can request one from the Helpdesk.

R:\Public\Share - Space for sharing files between Faculty and Staff throughout the school.

R:\Public\GuestFTP - Faculty and staff space for sharing files with external colleagues. They will need our FTP address "allfiles.bus.umich.edu", account name "guestftp" and the current password.

Guidelines: Certain types of files such as exe programs and multimedia files should not be saved on the network. Folders have a size limitation. Please see Guidelines for the Network in the Policies section for details.

Tips for Working with Files

Practicing the following tips will increase your file safety, network performance, and efficiency.

Safety

Save often. Save a file when you first begin to work on it - Word's AutoRecover feature does not work on documents that have not been initially saved.
Make sure important work is backed up - if you save the file on the network, it will be backed up that evening, and stored on backup tapes off site. You can also save your files on zip disks for an additional copy if you wish. In the event you need assistance in obtaining a file from a backup tape, the sooner the better. Please note there is cost involved to retrieve a file if it is on a tape more than several weeks old that is stored off site.
Name your files with a consistent naming convention, and use folders to help organize them. This will help in locating it if it is needed to be recovered from a network backup tape.

Using the Network

Plan for File Access and Later Use - save files on the network to access remotely, access from anywhere in school, and ensure they are secure and backed up.
As a general rule, save important work-related files on the network, and save anything large or replaceable on C: (like .exe files, downloads, MP3 files, etc).
Note in Windows 2000/XP, the My Documents folder maps to your U: drive space and not your hard drive.
Use the network shared folders to share file access with colleagues rather than e-mail attachments. Remember the R:\Public\Share folder and the R:\Public\GuestFTP folder.
Consider using the network to share files with co-workers in other departments rather than sending them the file as an e-mail attachment. Save the file in a network shared space such as R:\Public\Share, then send only the path or link in an email, with offsite ftp instructions. Note you can insert a hyperlink to a network file (for example, to R:\Public\Share\filename.doc, but the link will not work on a computer outside of the Business School.)

Classrooms Presentations

Keep File Sizes Small. 10MB is big, 50MB too big! Break them into smaller files that are linked together.
Don't run large files (over 2 or 3 MB) off of the network for a presentation, especially if embedding video and sound. These files are resource intensive and sensitive to network speed and fluctuation, as well as slowing down the network for everyone. Instead save the file to hard drive then run it from the hard drive.
Smaller files (less than 1MB) may be more convenient to run off of the network and may have more reliable delivery. However, it is still safer to run any important presentation file off the hard drive rather than the network to avoid network interruption, which is rare but possible.

Watch Your File Size

It is important to be aware of your file sizes, especially when transferring them over the network, Internet or through e-mail. In some cases restrictions are real - files that won't save onto a floppy, or e-mail that bounces back rejected because the attachment exceeded the allowed size in other mail systems (often 1 or 5MB).

To check a file's size:

In the Windows Explorer or My Computer, navigate to the folder where your file is saved.
Right click on the file and examine its properties to see the file size. OR
From the Windows Explorer menu bar, turn on View - Details if the File type, size, date information is not already visible.
Look in the File size column to note the file size., or right click on the file and look at its properties.
You can also check the size of a file open in an application typically under the application's File menu (using the Properties command, etc. - this command will vary by program).

Tips for reducing file size:

Periodically do a "Save As" command to make the file smaller.
Use Word's File menu - Version command to store drafts within the same file rather than in individual files for each draft you wish to keep.
Prepare your graphics in advance with appropriate parameters - Scan with proper resolution and settings, save in the ideal file format, and scale to desired size, before inserting in Word or PowerPoint! This will significantly reduce the size of the host file.
Use Paste - Special command and link the file rather than embed it when possible. This will require you to keep the source file in relation to the host file when moving the file.

How to Create PDF Files

PDF files are used as an easy way to provide a document that cannot be changed and has a consistent look on different computers. PDFs are used on the web and extensively for CourseTools.

A PDF is like a snapshot of your file that retains formatting, fonts and layout of the original document for display on all types of computers over the web, no matter what system, fonts or software the end user has - all they need is the common Acrobat Reader, which is on most current computers.

To create a PDF file, you will need installed on your computer the complete Adobe Acrobat Suite, not just the free Acrobat Reader. This will typically be listed under the Windows Start - Programs menu under Adobe Acrobat. Note the group of programs including Distiller. If you will be creating PDF files regularly and you do not have the Acrobat Suite, request this from the Helpdesk.

From Word's File menu you may have a command to "Create PDF". There is also a Toolbar icon. If given a choice between PDF Writer or Distiller, use Distiller for more reliable layout, especially for graphics.

We will use Word for this example, but you can create a PDF from many applications:

Once you have it installed, open the document you wish to create. Depending on which version of Acrobat Suite and how it was installed, it will add either a toolbar icon, File menu item or Acrobat menu to the Microsoft Suite of programs. Either click on the Create PDF icon, or from the File Menu select "Create PDF", or look for the Acrobat menu and select "Convert to PDF." A dialog box will open.
In the dialog box there are several important settings. From the drop down arrow be sure to select "Screen Optimized" and be sure to checkmark the "prompt for file name" or you won't be given a choice of what to name your file.
Alternatively, you can choose File - Print and select Acrobat Distiller as your printer name. You will either be prompted for a file name and location, or it will open in the Acrobat window where you can choose File - Save As if desired.
Note: If after you create a PDF file you cannot print to the printer, check to see:

If Distiller is still selected as your printer, change it back to your default printer.

If the "Print to File" box is checked in the Printer dialog box, uncheck this box to resume printing normally.

Related Topic: Scanning Basics (in the Using Business School Equipment module) covers how to scan a file into a PDF document.

Un-Zipping Files

Zipping files is a method to compress them for transfer on a floppy or zip disk, or through email or the web download.

Compression software is required to make a zipped file. WinZip is a free software package commonly used at the Business School that allows you to unzip files. Stuffit is a common Macintosh version.

If you receive a zipped file, first save it to your hard drive. Then double click on it.

There are two types of zipped files you may receive:

"Self-extracting" files with an .exe extension, which decompress by simply double clicking on the file. It will save the unzipped file(s) to a location on your hard drive - depending on how it was set up it may or not prompt you for the location where it will unzip the files. Note if there are any directions and follow them. This type does not require you to have WinZip on your computer.
The second type of zipped files have a .zip extension. When you click on this type of file, it will open the WinZip program, which must be installed on your computer in a version compatible with the version used to zip the file. You will see the contents of the zipped file in the WinZip window. To simply view the file contents, double click on it. To save the unzipped file, select the file then click on the Extract button on the WinZip toolbar.

Related Topic: See Zipping Files, below.

Zipping Files

Zip files in order to fit them on a floppy or zip disk, to save hard drive or network file space, to send through email, or to create a smaller web download.

To compress, or "zip", a file you will need a file compression program such as WinZip installed. WinZip is a free software package commonly used at the Business School that allows you to unzip files. Stuffit is a common Macintosh version. You can obtain WinZip from the Helpdesk.

To zip a file using WinZip, you can open WinZip from under your Programs menu. Choose to create a new archive, then browse to select and add your files to the archive.

An easy alternative is to use the Windows Explorer to browse to the file (do not open it). Right click on the file and choose "Add to Zip" and follow the prompts.

Related Topic: See Unzipping Files, above.

How to FTP to Our Network

Files on the network can be accessed over the Internet using FTP.

You will need the Internet Explorer Browser (Netscape will not work) and you will the box checked to enable FTP folder view on the Tools - Internet Options - Advanced tab.
The Business School FTP address is ftp://allfiles.bus.umich.edu.
Login with your uniqname and Business School password.

If you need a file when at home or off-site, save the file on the Business School network file servers on the U: or S: drive location while at work. (Files saved in the My Documents folder on Windows2000 school computers automatically save to the U: drive.) You can then connect to the server, copy the file to your local computer for editing, printing, etc. and copy the file back to the Business School server.

If you use the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser version 5 or later, you can FTP through the web browser by going to ftp://uniqname@allfiles.bus.umich.edu (use your personal uniqname). You will be prompted to enter your Business School password. This method will not work in Netscape browsers.

If this method does not work (because you prefer Netscape or have an older version of Internet Explorer) then you will need FTP software. You can download WS_FTP Limited Edition version from the Software page or you can contact the Helpdesk for the Pro version.

How does FTP work?

Connect to the Internet
Open your Browser or FTP software and enter the address to the Business School file server and login.
Navigate to your files and folders. You will be placed in the root of the R: drive allfiles server. You can navigate to R:\Departments (for your "S: drive" folder) or R:\FacStaff to navigate to your U: drive folder.
Drop and drag the file to a folder on your hard drive (for Browser users), or select your file and click the transfer arrow (for WS_FTP users).
Open the file using your software. Edit, print, etc. then copy it back onto the server if desired to replace the previous version.

For more detailed instructions, see the Network - File Access page in the Technology section.

Related Topics:

Accessing Your Files When Traveling with FTP in the Traveler's Skill Pack module,
Accessing Your Files from Home with FTP in the Working from Home or Off-Site Module

Offline Files with Windows 2000

The My Documents folder on Business School Windows 2000/XP computers saves your files on your U: drive.

If you wish to make these files available for "offline use" when you are not connected to our network (such as on a laptop), you will need to turn this setting on for the My Documents folder.

In the Windows Explorer (or on your desktop icon for My Documents) right-click on the My Documents folder and choose "Make Available Offline."

If you check this option, when you log off from Windows 2000 these files will synchronize, or copy, from the network onto your hard drive. You can then open them when offline when you are not connected to the network.

Please be aware that this will increase your computer's shut down time to reconcile changes, especially the first time it synchronizes when it needs to make the initial copy of all of your files in the My Documents folder.

How to Prepare for an OS Upgrade or New Computer

Helpdesk staff will contact you and arrange for a time to upgrade your computer. The school currently follows a 4 year upgrade cycle for staff and faculty.

You may wish to save your browser bookmarks. In Netscape, search for the file "bookmark.htm" then copy this file to another location off of your hard drive, such as a floppy disk or the U: drive. Give this file to the Helpdesk.
Make sure all of your important files are saved in the My Documents folder or its subfolders. This is the only data folder that will be copied onto your new computer for you. You can search for *.doc, *.ppt or *.xls files to find all files of a certain type that may be saved elsewhere on your hard drive, then drag these files into the My Documents folder.
Make a list of all special software that you have added. You will need to reinstall it on your new computer.

Managing Your Files

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