Epson 20, 386 Creating and Managing Files, Naming Files, DATA.TXT, extension, Using MS-DOS with Your Equity 386

If you press Enter when a command line has an error in it, the screen displays an error message. Usually, the command prompt reappears so you can try again. Type the correct command and press

Enter.

Creating and Managing Files

All your data and programs are stored in files. A data file contains information, such as words, numbers, or pictures. A program file contains instructions that the computer can understand and execute.

The kind of file you create depends on the MS-DOS command or application program you use to create it. In general, a data file that you create using an application program is stored in a special format. If you use a different application program to read that file, you may encounter problems.

When you create a file, you need to give it a name. You must name your files in a certain format required by MS-DOS.

Naming Files

Each file must have a unique filename so you can retrieve it when you need to. The filename consists of two parts: the name and the

extension.

You can choose a name up to eight characters long. Create a name that identifies the information the file contains. The name can contain any characters or numbers except for blank spaces and the following symbols:

“‘/[I : I < >+=; .?

The extension is optional and can be up to three characters long. You can use the extension to further identify a file or to describe what type of file it is, such as a text file or program file. When you use an extension, separate it from the filename with a period. For example, an MS-DOS filename might look like this:

DATA.TXT

Using MS-DOSwith Your Equity 386 5-5