Why Would you Want to Copy a File?
There are a number of reasons that you may want to copy a file or have various copies of a file. You may want to back your files up on another disk. You may want to save an old version of a file for archiving or in case you mess up new changes. You may want to copy a file that has the layout you want so you can use the layout for something else. For example, this web page is a copy of other pages on this site. Only the text area has been changed.
How would you Copy a File?
The reason you copy a file has an affect on how you make the copy.
1. Backup
When you create a backup copy of a file, you want to be sure that the backup is the latest version of the file. You will then have two copies of the file: the working copy and the backup.
Side Effect: The backup situation often causes a problem if you accidentally start working in the backup copy instead of your working copy. Then your working copy doesn't have the latest changes. It's a bad situation when one copy has a little bit of this, and the other copy has a little bit of that. Never open your back up copy unless you are using it for reference or to replace a file that is lost or corrupted.
There is a way to create a backup copy that has less chance of getting into the backup mixup. This way is helpful because the files are not open; so, you can't accidentally mistake an open backup copy for a working copy.
Find the file you want to copy in Windows or in Windows Explorer.
Click the file.
In the panel on the left, click Copy this File.
A window will pop up asking you where you want to copy it too. Choose a new place. It can be another drive, such as a CD drive or a floppy drive; or, it can be another folder on your computer.
Special Note about copying an Access file: you should use this method. Otherwise, you may only get copies of your tables. Close your file before making your copy.
2. Archive old files
You may want to keep a copy of a file you are going to change. This is a very good strategy, if there is any possibility that changes you make will cause errors or make you wish you had the original. For example, if you have a picture that you took with your digital camera, you will want to have a copy archived before you make changes in Photoshop.
Side Effects: 1) The backup situation often causes a problem if you accidentally start working in the backup copy instead of your working copy. For example, if you take a photo and make changes in the backup copy instead of the working copy. Then you Save your work. Then later you open the working copy, but the changes aren't there (because you did them in the backup copy.) So, you redo the changes. Now, you have two files with the changes, but no original. 2) You forget to make the copy.
Make an Archive folder in My Documents.
Inside the Archive folder, make folders that match your working folders.
When you first open a file, go to File -> Save As.
In the dialog box, open the Archive folder and the folder that matches your working folder.
Add a date to the file name. You will have to use - instead of / (2-12-06 instead of 2/12/06) because Windows won't let you use / in a file name. That will tell you the date of your original.
Most programs will have the archived version open instead of your working file; so, close the file. Be sure you know what your program does.
Go to your working folder and reopen the file.
3. Use the formatting in a file
Side Effects: When you change the formatting on one page, all the other pages still have the old formatting. To update all the pages with the new formatting, you will have to open all the files and make the changes. If you use template files, all the pages will show the formatting changes, but that is a feature in some programs; it's not a part of Windows.
You may want to use the formatting you have already set up in a file for other files. For example, this page is formatted like most of the other pages on this web site. To use the formatting in this page on another page, I can open this file and save it with a new name. Then I can type in new words and add new graphics to make the new page.
Problems when Copying a File
Bad Disks: If you use either floppy disks or CDs, it's not uncommon to have bad disks in your box or to have a disk go bad later on. One floppy or a CD should not be your only backup.
Copying the Wrong Thing: Be careful what you choose to copy. Know the difference between the item icon and a shortcut icon. A Shortcut is a little file with the address of where something is stored on your computer. If you copy a Shortcut instead of the actual file, you will get a little file with the address of the thing stored on your computer. Then when you take that disk to some other computer, it can't get to your computer to find that item.
Reserved Characters: You can't just use any character on the keyboard in a file name. There are some characters that Windows uses internally. These characters have a special meaning. For example, \ and / mean something special to Windows; so, you can't use them in a file name. This is very inconvenient if you want to add a date to a file name. However, you can use a hyphen instead.
This article began as a handout for the Windows portion of the Gentle Start in Computers workshops at Flathead Valley Community College. This handout is available with screenshots at http://www.thecomputergal.com/Windows/CopyingFiles.htm.
Nora McDougall-Collins
Missoula, MT
nora@thecomputergal.com
Putting the world of computers into plain English.
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