Dot Extentions Exposed. How to Show Your Files Dot Extentions

Dot Extentions Exposed. How to Show Your Files Dot Extentions

Whats a Dot Extension?
In your computers file manager (RIGHT Click Start Menu and Open)... you have folders, and in those folders you have files. The files have have names. At the end of the file name IF your dot extensions are showing, you will see a dot (.) , for example myfile.txt a Notepad file (.txt) and MSWord files have (.doc) at the end ... again only IF your dot extensions are showing. Excel spreadsheet files end in .xls (usually) and can have others like (.csv). Both Notepad and Excel can open .csv files.

Notepad - .txt
MSWord - .doc
Excel - .xls
browser applications like IE and Firefox open files ending .html or .htm
media players like Windows Media Player open .mp3 (audio) or .avi (video) or .swf (video)
graphic applications like Windows Picture & Fax Viewer open files like .gif, .jpg, .bmp, etc

Actually , Notepad, Word, Excel, and your browser (IE or Firefox) are all applications. File types can be opened with different applications.

In fact, being able to change your dot extension will help you with using both these 2 applications together (Notepad & Excell or other spreadsheet applications) ... which is important to be able to do. Lead Lists and other spreadsheet info, like financial info (PayPal, your bank statements, etc) often allow uploading and downloading between the site and your computer using .csv files that can be opened either in Notepad or Excel. Note: you can safely open anything in Notepad (much less chance of virus or spyware exposure) first.

This will help you have more control over your files in your computer. If you ask anyone for help you will be asked for your file dot extensions. Windows sets the default to NOT SHOW. I suggest you correct that now.

Its Easy to See Your Dot Extensions!


For Windows 9X, 2000 or XP operating systems.

1.) Open an Exploring window (right click on the "Start" button)

2.) select from the pull down menu:

View/Folder Options (Win9x - 2000)
or
Tools/Folder Options (WinXP)

3.) Click the "View" tab

4.) Uncheck the box:

[ ] Hide file extensions for known types

5?) Click "OK"

Now....
Can you see your . extensions on our file name?

Open your file manager again. Right click start menu.
To see your folder and files you can either ...

Click the "Folder" icon, to view your folders or in the address bar click the pull down menu to choose where you want to go. Usually My Documents (most things are in your C drive here)...
or My Computer to access the CD drive or a floppy in the A drive (are common other drives).

Tip:

Another name for file manger is Explore. Do not get confused here. This is not your Internet Explorer browser. You can also right click your Start button and choose Explore to open your file manager and veiw your files and folders.