Section: File Management Programs - for Exploring the Disk
...Subsection: Problems File Management Systems can Help You Solve
... ...Subsubsection: Finding Where Things Are

All though the details for finding things in your directory structure can vary greatly depending on what your computer configuration is like, what operating system you are using, and which tools you use, there are some strategies you can use to help find files efficiently.

Your program may have a searching tool. The start menu in Win 95 has such a tool. You can also access such a tool in Macintosh by hitting the command key with the F key. Search tools usually ask you which drive you want to start on. They also may ask which directory of the drive you want to access.

If you can't find a searching tool, or you just want to browse, use some sort of file management tool. Use that tool to follow the following algorithm:

• Guess which drive contains the file you are looking for. Choose that drive.

• Go to the root directory of the drive. You would be amazed how often people miss this step and get totally baffled.

• look at the files in this directory. Do you see the file you want? If so, activate it. You're done!

• If you don't see the file you were looking for, look at the subdirectories of this directory. Choose the most likely subdirectory and go there. Repeat the last three steps until you find the file or reach a dead end. If you reach a dead end, back up until you find another likely path, then keep searching. How you apply this technique depends entirely on the operating system and file management program you are using. In the lab, you will find the same file using different commands in different programs, but the algorithm never changes.