Tips for Basic Skills
What is the difference between a "Save" and a "Save As..."?
"Save"
The "Save" command preserves a document on your computer, writing it to your hard drive or a floppy disk so you can keep a copy of it or use it again later. You can use "Save" to retain a document you've been working on for the first time, or after you've made any changes to it.
The first time you ever save a document, it will ask you to name your document, and to pick a place on your computer to store the document. From then on however, the "Save" command doesn't ask you for a name or a place anymore. It simply re-writes the document with any changes to your hard drive or floppy disk.
"Save As..."
The "Save As.." command lets you use a document as a template for similar documents, and/or lets you save different versions or different file types of the same document without altering the original. This comes in handy when sending email attachments to people with different versions of software than you, or different software programs than what you use.
How does it do this? Instead of re-writing the changes on top of the original document like "Save", the "Save As..." command allows you to turn the original document with your new revisions, into a new document with a different name and/or storage location.
In most programs, both the "Save" and the "Save As..." commands give you the option of saving your document in several different file types.
For Example:
What if you typed an assignment and then saved it, naming it "ch2wksht" with the "Save" command.
A week later, you wanted to use it again for a test review and to save time you made changes to it for the review.
When you closed the document, the computer asked you first if you wanted to "Save" your changes. You click "Yes" and save it with the revisions. Basically, this changes the original file and you can no longer use it in the original format.
If you wanted to keep the original worksheet, as well as the revised worksheet, you would go to the File menu and choose "Save As..." before you closed the program.
"Save As..." asks you to rename (Name) the document, and/or to pick a new place to store it. You can't save two files/documents with the same name in the same place (it confuses the computer), so name it differently or save it in a different location.
What if you forgot to do that and you are in the situation above, where the computer only asks you, "Do you want to Save your changes? - Yes - No - Cancel".
You have the option of telling your computer "Cancel" to avoid re-writing the original document in a plain "Save". Then, you can go to the File Menu and select "Save As...". The Save As... command asks you for a new name and if you want, a new place to keep the next week's memo.
File Endings
What does the period and series of letters after files mean? Do I need to include them in the file name when I save something? How can I tell what type of file something is?
The questions above have to do with the 2-3 letters and period after file names. They are tags that help you and your computer know what kind of file it is. Example, the file you are reading now is called "tips.html", telling your computer that it is a web page called "tips".
Some hints:
Files that end ".exe" are 'Applications'; that is programs or software. If you double click on one it will open a program. Files with endings like ".dll", ".ini" are for your computer to use and should not be tampered with unless you really know what you're doing (otherwise your computer and/or program won't work anymore).
The following endings mean it is a photograph or image file: .TIF, .TIFF, .JPEG, .JPG, .GIF
The following endings mean it is from a word processing program: .DOC, .WPD, .WP5, .TXT, .RTF
The following endings mean it will open in your web browser: .htm, .html
How come I can't open some email attachments?
Email attachments can make business life and personal life easier and more interesting, but many people are unsure about how to use them.
Through email attachments, you can send reports, letters, memos, and presentations faster and cheaper than by a fax machine with the added bonus that the receiver can fix a spelling or grammar error easily (without having to retype it or scan it through an OCR program).
You can also send photographs, songs, blueprint drawings, and almost any other type of computer file/document.
If you can't open an email attachment, don't worry. It probably doesn't have a virus, it probably isn't corrupt, and most likely your computer is not broke. It usually means one of three things.
1. Your computer isn't sure what program you want to open the attachment with.
In this case, the computer will usually give you a window asking you what program you'd like to use to open the file. Choose a program that makes sense. For example, if it is a report, select a word processing program. If it is a photograph, select a photo or image program on your computer.
Or, open the program manually. That is, open the program, then choose "Open" from the File menu and look through your computer's filing cabinet (hard drive) until you find the file where your email attachments are saved. Select the attachment you want to open and click "Open" or "Ok".
2. Your computer can't open the attachment with the program you selected.
In this case, you will get a little box telling you the computer can't open the file, or there was an "unexpected error" trying to open the file. (In some cases, the program will open but the attachment won't.)
Try manually opening the attachment with another logical program -- ie. a different word processing program, another image program. If that won't work, the problem may be the attached file is not what you assumed it was. Maybe it's not a typed report, maybe it is a presentation, or a photograph.
Look at the File Ending -- where else have you seen that ending? If you don't know, write the sender back and confirm what program they used to create the file/document attachment.
If the attachment was created in the same program you have on your computer and it still won't open, ask the sender what version of the software he has. If the sender has a newer version of the program, ask them to do a "Save As..." and send the attachment as an older version so you can open it.
As a last resort for word processing files, have them change toe file to a ".TXT" file with a "Save As...". Be warned however: it will lose all bolds, underlines, and other cosmetic formatting because "Text Only" files can't carry those things.
3. Your computer doesn't have the software installed to open the attachment.
If you get an image attachment and can't open it, ask the sender to send it in another image format. Maybe you don't have the software to open the type of image you received. Or, if you received an attachment called "loud.ra", you might not have a sound player that supports "Real Audio" files (.ra/.ram). If other formats don't work, you may need to ask the sender what new software you need to get for your computer.