Let's Look at a File Name

by Debbie Schweitzer

File Name:

Every file stored in the same place must have a different name. Otherwise it will replace the file of the same name. File names can be up to 255 characters long. This includes spaces and upper case letters. You cannot use the following characters in a file or folder name: / \ < > : * / . |.

File names may contain letters, numbers and other symbols located across the top of your keyboard, including @ and #. Because the file names are sorted alphabetically, a file name beginning with a symbol appears at the top of the list of files -- A handy trick if you use a file frequently and need to find it quickly.

Separator:

The separator between the file name and extension is always a period. Used in the Internet as well and is now referred to as dot.

Extension:

The program that is saving adds this extension. It tells the computer, which program created this file. Usually but not always it will require that program to run the file. Some exceptions are word processing files.

Two files can have the same name as long as their extensions are different.