How File Management System at microcomputer level functions?

With the development of many storages and data management systems, we are so used to storing and managing data in online systems and cloud storages that we have forgotten how the file management at microcomputer level takes place. Ever wondered how the computers or PCs that we use function their Online file management system?

A microcomputer manages its files in several ways, like, by a filename, drives, a customized folder, paths, trees, file managers, etc. Let's understand in detail about how these individually function.

There is a pattern that the management follows, which is :

1. File name

2. Folders

3. Drives

4. Trees

5. Paths

6. File managers

Let us now discuss in detail about how these individually.

1. File names

Whenever you save a file, the file is assigned a name so that you can identify them later. In the file names too, there are two types-

• A name, and
• An extension

The names are assigned just for individuality and identification of files. For disk operating system, the user has to use limited characters for the naming the file. However the user can give names that could belong too but the system provides a name by default anyway if the user doesn’t. The main name and the extension are separated by each other. The extension is nothing other than the format of the file. So if your file is a database or a word document, then the extensions would be .dbf and .doc respectively.

2. Folders: - A folder mainly contains a bunch of files that are quite similar to each other. For example, A folder would have documents related to health reports whereas, B folder would have the diagnosis reports of each patient. This is the way to manage files in an appropriate manner. This is pretty much the same like an online file management system where the documents, spreadsheets, etc. are separately stored in a standard format. This helps the user to easily locate the files. A microcomputer has a separate folder for images and music by default so that you can locate them without hassles. To understand this better, you need to understand the concepts of folders and how the grouping of similar kind of files within the folders should take place. Also, a folder is referred as a directory.

3. Drives: - There are many systems having more than one drive.All these drives are represented alphabetically for identification. In many systems, usually a floppy disk may have an A or B drive whereas, a computer hard drive might have C drive.It might vary as different systems have different drives therefore, the name would differ too.

4. Trees:- The Tree is a way or a path in the folders that get illustrated in a drive’s folder. Basically, all the files in a folder branch off from the drive. If a folder contains another sub-folder, then that folder is shown as a second branch arising from the first. With this tree, one can make an entire tree by creating branches of folders and this is why it is referred to as a tree. With the tree feature in microcomputers, users can get details about the drive’s contents with the details respectively.

5. Paths:- In order to store files on a drive, the user has to follow a path on the disk. For instance, if you have a file named ‘health’ in Drive C, then the path to that file would be C:/health.doc and if ‘health’ is in a folder named Medical documents, then the path to the file would be C:/medical reports/health.doc. The folder and drives are all separated by a backslash to make it understandable and readable .

6. File managers:- File management systems incorporate a different program that a user can use to explore drives, files, documents and folders. There are although varieties in it however, they all allow users to display the folders on a tree-like arranged drive. By clicking on any of the folders, a list of content shows up. When search engines and browsers were initially created for the web, people found that they could locate and get to the document anywhere easily.

Subsequently, browsing technologies like Google are now being used as file management systems. In fact, a local drive document looks like a document on the web. Google drive Google docs looks much like Microsoft's word document. Search engines on the web keep track of millions of documents by searching them out and listing words they contain in an index. When a user searches a word, the search engine looks it up in the index and lists the name and address of every document in which it can be found. A user can go to the document just by clicking its name the search engines make looking for documents so easy that personal versions are available for user's own system.

This is how a micro computer's file management functions on different levels and makes it understandable for the user to operate.