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
- Good: 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
- Good: 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
- Good: promopic.gif
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
- Good: 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.
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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:
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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.
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http://etc.usf.edu/techease/mac/files-sharing/how-do-i-save-my-work-on-a-mac/
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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
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File Naming: A Four-part Video Series
created & put on YouTube by statelibrarync