Steps to Save Files

ghostdawg · 2016-12-07 05:45

I just had someone who created some files for school using Q4OS. This person know how to use computers but not alot. (He normally uses Windows) He called me to ask how to save his files to an external thumb drive. The steps I gave him didn't seem to work. I would like to hear how would you instruct someone to save files.

TIA.

Last edited by ghostdawg (2016-12-07 05:46)

bin · 2016-12-07 07:27

From experience of working with lots of very clever, but not always technical, people I always suggest:-
Save the file on the computer - close the program - copy the file to the thumb/usb/external/network wherever.
I have lost count over the years of the number of calls I had where people had been working off a thumb drive, not realised it and subsequently saved other work to it, then handed the drive over not realising it had more than they expected on it.
Closing the app ensures that no temporary copies are around to confuse the drive.

Your person may not have known about how Linux presents thumb drives - make sure they know about Safely Remove as well!!

ghostdawg · 2016-12-07 09:55

Thanks, bin. It got me to thinking also about issues like this. I wasn't aware he wanted to save to a thumb drive until he called. He said when he went to save cmd, he didn't see an option to save directly to the thumb drive. I thought that was interesting, that the drive is not a save option.

I did mention for him to save it to the HDD and then open My Computer, which he did see the TD, and to copy it over. But he had a problem doing it also.

I'm currently at work but I'll go through this issue once I'm home just to see how it should be done. Most of us are techies that we can figure out problems as we approach them but do not think how non techies react tn simple problems, at least for us, simple.

bin · 2016-12-07 11:40

There could be an issue as to how the drive has been mounted. I get handed all sorts of USB keys some of which mount happily, others don't - I think it depends on how they're formatted.

If I was saving direct to a USB - I've attached a screen grab off my machine - it's important that the drive has mounted properly. Plus the path to it via Storage Media may not be immediately apparent to a Windows user.

For File Copy/Paste it stil requires the same understanding of the destination. If the drive did not just pop up normally - and it is pretty 'in your face' then it sounds more like a mounting issue.

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Dai_trying · 2016-12-07 12:33

I would have recommended they save the files in the normal way (usually to /home/user/Documents) and then open their home folder from the desktop, select the files they want on the usb drive. Then open the usb-device from the task-bar and select paste from the newly opened window (which will be a mounted usb drive).
I understand the issue with identifying devices (which could be another thread in itself) and I always label my devices to ensure I know what they are, although most (new) users might be unfamiliar with doing this, and be a little cautious about changing it for fear of losing what is already on the device.

ghostdawg · 2016-12-09 16:38

I've just gotten around to testing how to save a file to the usb stick. It was pretty straight forward.

Plug the stick in a usb port
Konqueror notification appeared in the task bar
Open Konqueror and it ask what to do, choose open in new window
While the application is still open (LO Writer in his case), you can choose to save to usb stick.

I'm not sure why my friend didn't noticed it but he probably didn't see the notification message in the task bar. I would say the problem was more the user fault then Q4's fault!

Q4OS Forum

#1 2016-12-07 05:45

Steps to Save Files

#2 2016-12-07 07:27

Re: Steps to Save Files

#3 2016-12-07 09:55

Re: Steps to Save Files

#4 2016-12-07 11:40

Re: Steps to Save Files

#5 2016-12-07 12:33

Re: Steps to Save Files

#6 2016-12-09 16:38

Re: Steps to Save Files

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