Manipulating Files and Folders

The major identifying features of a file or folder are:

• Its name and location in the folder hierarchy.

• Its owner permissions (properties).

  For more information on permissions and how to set them, see "File and Folder Ownership and Security".

• Whether it is linked to another file. A linked file is a representation of another file. Linked files provide a way for you to have one file that appears to exist in two or more folders.

To Create a New File or Folder

1. Choose New File or New Folder from the File menu.

2. Type the name into the New File or New Folder field.

3. Click OK or press Return.

   To close the New File or New Folder dialog box without creating a new file or folder, click Cancel or press Esc.

   There are two other ways to create objects:

   • Copy an existing object, then rename the copy (see "To Copy a File or Folder").

   • Create a new file within an application. For example, Text Editor creates a new file when you save a new document.

To Move a File or Folder

The following procedures assume that you have permission to write to the files to be moved. See "Basic Permissions".

Mouse

1. Make the source and destination folders visible: by opening a File Manager view of the contents of the destination folder or the icon of the closed destination folder.

2. Select the file or folder to be moved and drag it to the destination folder.

   If you move a folder, the entire folder and its contents are moved.

Keyboard

1. Use the Tab and direction keys to move the highlight to the file or folder to be moved.

2. Press the Spacebar to select the object.

3. Choose Move to from the Selected menu.

4. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field.

   For example, if you want to move the file report into the folder /u/john, you would type /u/john.

5. Click OK or press Return.

   If you move a folder, the entire folder and its contents are moved.

To Copy a File or Folder

Mouse

1. Make the source and destination folders visible:

   Open a File Manager view of the contents of the destination folder or the icon of the closed destination folder.

2. Select the file or folder to be copied.

3. Press and hold the Control key.

4. Drag the file or folder and drop it onto the destination folder.

   Make sure that you release the mouse button before you release the Control key. Otherwise, you will move instead of copy the file or folder.

Keyboard

1. Select the icon.

2. Choose Copy to from the Selected menu.

3. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field.

   Note that this must be the new full path name for the file. For example, if you want to copy the file report into the folder /u/john, you would type /u/john.

4. Click OK or press Return.

   To close the Copy File dialog box without copying a file, click Cancel or press Esc.

To Create a Symbolic Link

A link icon is a copy of an icon that points to the same file or folder as the original icon. Any changes you make after opening the link icon will also appear when you access the file or folder using the original icon.

Mouse

1. Make the source and destination folders visible:

   • Open a File Manager view of the contents of the destination folder.

   • Or, open a File Manager view that shows the icon of the closed destination folder.

2. Select the file or folder to be copied.

3. Press and hold the Shift key and the Control key while dragging and dropping the icon of a file or folder onto the icon of a new folder.

   When you drop the icon, File Manager creates symbolic link in the new folder that points to the original file or folder. Make sure that you release the mouse button before you release the Shift key and the Control key. Otherwise, you will move instead of link the file or folder.

Keyboard

1. Use the Tab and arrow keys to move the highlight to the icon of the file or folder to which you want to link.

2. Press the Spacebar to select the icon.

3. Choose Copy as Link from the Selected menu.

4. Type a name into the Destination Folder text field including the path for the name of the folder where you want this link icon to appear.

5. (Optional) If you want this link icon to have a different name that the original icon, type a new name in the Name for copy text field.

6. Click OK or press Return.