File Naming Recommendations In a mixed platform world of Macintosh, Windows, and Unix computers, you must pay attention to how you name your file. On PCs, you usually append a three-letter file extension after the file name to tell the computer what program to launch when it is double-clicked. Programs on the PC do this automatically, but the same programs running on the Mac often do not. Things to avoid: 1.) Don't add extraneous punctuation to the file name. For example, don't use #. %, forward or back slashes, ampersands, and question marks or any other strange glyph. Stick mostly to letters and numbers. Dashes and underscores are OK. Good: my_file.jpg Bad: my/file.jpg 2.) Don't put more than one period in the file name. Use only one period at the end of the file name just before the three-letter suffix. Good: very_big_splash.jpg Bad: very.big.splash.jpg 3.) Don't omit the 3-letter suffix. Add the correct 3-letter suffix to the file name if none is created by the application program. ALL web browsers require a suffix to be able to tell a picture file from a text file, for example. Good: promopic.gif Bad: promopic.newone Bad: promopic 4.) Avoid spaces in filenames. High-speed Unix-based web servers dislike having spaces in the file name. Your pages and files with spaces in the name may work on a Mac or PC server, but if you ever migrate the files to a Unix server, you're in trouble. Most web designers use underscores in the file name to separate words for clarity. Good: my_new_car.jpg Bad: my new car.jpg Opening PC files on a Mac: Opening a PC-created picture file (like a jpg) on the Mac confuses beginning users. They double click the icon, and some other program on the Mac opens the file for viewing - usually Apple QuickTime. It is not loaded into Photoshop like they expected. Macintoshes use a hidden bit of information called the Resource Fork to tell the computer what program to launch when the file icon is double-clicked. Each program that creates a file writes this information when you save. When you copy a PC file onto the Mac, the resource fork is missing. In order to open a file from a PC, you usually have to open the program first (i.e. Photoshop), then do a File, Open from within the program. Once the file is re-saved, the missing resource fork is added, and the file becomes a Mac version. Other Resources to Integrate: Avoiding Special Characters The most conservative filenaming conventions provide the most cross-platform compatibility. This means that your filenames will work in different operating systems, such as Windows, Mac OS X and other UNIX operating systems, and Mac OS 9. You also need to consider filenaming when you transfer files via the Internet, where you can never be certain what computer platform your files may be stored on, even if temporarily. Most special characters should be avoided. Here are some suggested conservative filenaming guidelines for maximum cross-platform compatibility: http://documentation.apple.com/en/finalcutpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=3%26section=4%26tasks=true How to Decipher Mac Filenames In the Windows world, filenames have extensions — a period (.) and a few letters that are added to the end of a filename, for example, Chapter5.doc. The file extension tells the operating system what type of file it is so that the OS knows which program should open it. OS X uses file extensions in the same way, but it also has a separate way to know the file type and creator, using special four-letter codes for each that are stored with the file’s directory entry. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-decipher-mac-filenames.html How do I save my work on a Mac? Some programs, such as Microsoft Word, have an option to allow you to add a file extension to your file (in Microsoft Word, this option is called Append file extension). It is a good idea to include the file extension if you plan to share files with Windows users. The file extension is used by Windows to associate each file type with a specific program installed on your computer. If you do not include the file extension, Windows users may not be able to open the files you send to them from your Mac. http://etc.usf.edu/techease/mac/files-sharing/how-do-i-save-my-work-on-a-mac/ Saving Files in Office 2011 for Mac A typical Save As dialog has the following options: Append File Extension: When selected, this option appends the correct file extension for the selected format. You should always select this option. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/saving-files-in-office-2011-for-mac.html Best Practices for File-Naming http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/erecords/filenaming_20080508_final.pdf When other individuals access a record, they may be using different operating systems (Microsoft Windows, Mac OSX), different versions of the system (e. g. Windows Vista, Windows XP), or different software (e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice.org Writer, Notepad); therefore, it is important to follow rules that will allow a file to be recognized in as many different environments as possible. Rule #1: Avoid using special characters in a file name. \ / : * ? “ < > | [ ] & $ , . The characters listed above are frequently used for specific tasks in an electronic environment. For example, a forward slash is used to identify folder levels in Microsoft products, while Mac operating systems use the colon. Periods are used in front of file-name extensions to denote file formats such as . jpg and .doc; using them in a file name could result in lost files or errors. Rule #2: Use underscores instead of periods or spaces. As mentioned above, periods already have a specific function in a file name, which is to tell the computer program where the file-name extension begins. Spaces are frequently translated in a Web environment to be read as “%20”. For example, Naming tutorial.doc would appear as Naming%20tutorial.doc if it were available online. This alteration can cause confusion in identifying the actual file name. Spaces in file names can also cause broken links, because word processing tools like Microsoft Word, and e-mail clients like Microsoft Outlook, recognize spaces as an opportunity to move to another line. Therefore, a link to \\Ah1\Intranet\ar\naming conventions could become \\Ah1\Intranet\ar\naming conventions Another difference that is found among operating systems and software is the acceptable length of file names. Some systems allow up to 256 characters, while others allow far fewer. File Naming: A Four-part Video Series created & put on YouTube by statelibrarync Part 1: Why is File Naming Important? .