Files & Folders

File creation

  • Create a file with abiword
    • opening Abiword already creates the file but it is stored in a temporary way.
    • Type something
    • File > Save (see Ctrl + S – Ctrl is Strg on german keyboard)
    • Name:
    • Save in Folder:
      • Folders are a way to organize files. Folders may contain files and subfolders
      • home folder: default place for saving own files
      • Desktop folder may be easyer to find → drop down list → Desktop – save it there
      • > Browse for other Folders… (if opened the drop down list doesn’t work)
    • Drop down list with filetypes: important if you or someone else wants to open the file with a different program. The suffix is used to detect the file format.
      • Abi Word (.abw)
      • Open Document Text (.odt)
      • Microsoft Word (.doc)
      • Rich Text Format (.rtf)
      • Text (.txt)
      • Portable Document Format (.pdf)
      • Automatically Detected
    • Close Abiword

File Manager

  • Places > Desktop opens the filemanager Thunar with the view on the Desktop Folder.
    • Mac: Finder Windows: Explorer
  • view > view as … Icons Detailed List Compact List
  • Find the file (finding files may be easyer when you sort them by creation date …) and doubleklick it → opened again
  • Close
  • right-click → context menu
    • Properties
      ***General
      • Name:
      • Kind:
      • Open with: sets the general application for opening .abw
      • Modified:
      • Accessed: Same time – for Folders it may differ …
      • Size: Filesize (see below)
      • Volume: Where is the file saved?
    • Emblems: – only affects the appearance in the File Manager
    • Permissions: Determines who may read and who may change the File

File sizes

  • 1 bit = 1/0
  • 1 Byte = 8 bit – necessary for saving one letter without any formattings (1 Byte for the file)
  • 1 KByte = 1024 Bytes
  • 1 Mbyte = 1024 KByte
    • 1 3,5" Floppy Disk = 1,44 MB (good for text files but pictures may be bigger, forget audio & video
    • 1 CD = 700 MB (700 million Bytes – not 734 million) = 80 Minutes uncompressed Audio (650 MB and 800 MB also exist)
  • 1 GByte = 1024 MByte (some USB sticks)
    • 1 DVD (normal burned DVD) = 4,7 GB (4.7 trillion Bytes – not 5 trillion) = 120 min (2h) standard quality mpeg 2
    • 1 DVD DL = 8,5 GB = 215 (3½h) min standard quality mpeg 2
    • 1 Blu-ray Disc = 25 GB / 50 GB DL
    • 1 TByte = 1024 GByte (large HDs – 1 sextillion Bytes – not 1 sextillion 100 trillion Bytes)

Organizing Files

  • insert Floppy
  • open another window with Floppy (this will mount the floppy (necessary to mount but not eject!)
  • create folder (File > Create Folder… (Strg + Shift + N) or right click on empty space inside > Create Folder…
  • doubleklick open folder
  • click on the file to select it
  • click again, hold, move cursor over the floppy window and release the mousebutton → copied
  • once again click and move but don’t release
    • + in symbol – create copy
    • shift → arrow in symbol – move file
    • shift + Strg → two rings – create link – no copy of the file but doubleklicking will open the file
  • copy
  • select old file and delete it (right-click > Delete or Entf, Dialog -OK)
  • look inside Trash (left column)
  • right-click on Trash symbol > Empty Trash

Filesystem Structure

  • View > Side Pane > Tree (Strg + T)
  • look to the left column …
  • View > Side Pane > Shortcuts (Strg + B)
  • select File System in the left column → many folders of the Operating system. You should not change anything without knowing what you’re doing. You even can’t as normal user (Linux is secure)
  • doubleclick home here are the homefolders of all users
  • doubleclick «username» → you’re back in your home folder
  • view > show hidden files (Strg + h) → lots of configuration files and folders
  • hide them again