Commodore PC - Page 17

Learning About ms-dos 31
Filename
,-v Just as each folder in a file cabinet has a label, each file on a disk
\ ' has a name. This name has two parts: a filename and an exten
sion. A filename can be from 1 to 8 characters in length, and can
be typed in uppercase or lowercase letters, ms-dos automatically
r^i converts filenames to uppercase letters.
Filename extensions consist of a period followed by one, two, or
^mK^ three characters. Extensions are optional, but it's a good idea to
f) use them, since they are useful for describing the contents of a
file to you and to ms-dos. For instance, if you want to be able to
quickly identify your report files, you can add the filename exten-
f~\ sion .rpt to each one. Here's an example of a filename with this
extension:
progress.rpt
I filename
Directory
filename extension
A directory is a table of contents for a disk. It contains the names
/-—s of your files, their sizes, and the dates they were last modified.
When you look at the directory on your ms-dos master disk, you
will see many files with the extension .exe or .com. The extension
/*~\ .exe means executable, and .com means command. These exten
sions tell ms-dos that the files are programs that can be run. Many
files will have other kinds of extensions, such as .doc and .txt,
n which might contain text. Another common program file exten
sion is .has for basic programs.
^ Volume Label
When you use a new disk, you can put a label on the outside of
it to help you identify its contents. You can also give each of your
^-^ disks an internal name, called a volume label.
You can look at the volume label on a disk by displaying its direc
tory. Some programs may look at the volume label to see if you
(~*\ are using the correct disk. So make sure that you label your disks.
Disk Drive
' Floppy disk drives are commonly referred to as the A drive and
the B drive; a hard disk is usually referred to as the C drive.
^^ Check your computer manual to see which drive is A and which
(1 is B (or C).