Saving and Using Saved Files in DataDesk

DataDesk Version 4 (Macs) has a few bugs but most of the losses of people's work in DataDesk are preventable. To minimize these please keep in mind:

Save your work every 10 minutes or so and always before printing !

WHERE: You are welcome to create a folder below Development:Users to temporarily hold your files.

PC DISKS: Green Dot Macs in the lab will recognize PC formatted disks, but you need to insert them before you start DataDesk. (This is a bug in DataDesk.) Sometimes if you insert them while DataDesk is running the floppy disk drive you are using will be disabled until the machine is rebooted!

FILES FROM A PC DISK: When trying to use a file you've saved on a PC formatted floppy disk, it will sometimes be necessary to copy the file to the Mac hard drive before double-clicking. Be sure and try this if doubleclicking on the file while it is on a floppy fails!

MOVING FILES: A consultant will be glad to help you if you need to move a previously saved file to a different machine. Or to move a file from a red dot Mac to a green dot one where you can easily put the file on a PC floppy.

CORRUPTED FILES: These happen occasionally, so after you've a lot invested in one saved file, you might hold on to a copy of it without oversaving. Start saving from then on to a new file.

WHEN YOU'RE DONE: The right way to remove a Mac floppy disk when you are done is to drag the icon for the disk into the trash. Selecting Eject Disk from the menu and then going elsewhere will leave the Mac in a confused state where it asks for the floppy disk back. Sometimes command-period will get past this; at other times rebooting is necessary.

Do not save your datafiles in the DataDesk folder. Choosing Save DataFile from the File menu will sometime do that, so please avoid that command unless you know you are saving elsewhere.

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Last Update: September 28, 2000