What is a generic file types?

Generic file format allows you to save files so that they can be opened on any platform
using generic formats.

Common generic text files include:

Comma Separated value: already mentioned in the Data manipulation notes.
Text: these files have a .txt file extension. A text file is not formatted and can be opened by
any word processor.
Rich text format: these files have .rtf file extension. This is a text file type that saves some of
the formatting within the text.

Common generic image files include:

Graphic interchange format:
✓ these files have a .gif extension.
✓ This format stores still or moving images and is an efficient method of storing images
using smaller file size.
✓ It is widely used in webpages.

Joint photographic expert group:

✓ these files have .jpg/jpeg file extension.
✓ This format stores still images only, not moving images.
✓ It is considered as efficient method of storing images using smaller file size.
✓ It is widely used in webpages.

Portable document format:

✓ these files have a .pdf file extension.
✓ This is a document that has been converted into an image format.
✓ It allows document to be seen as images so that they can be read by most computers.
✓ It is used to protect a document and stop others from editing it, but you can copy and
paste the text in any other word processor unless it is even protected from being
copied.
 [Type here]
Portable network graphics:

✓ these files have a .png file extension.

✓ This format compress images without any loss of image quality.
✓ It was created to replace graphics interchange format (.gif) and is now the most used
for images on the internet.

Common generic audio files:

Moving picture experts group layer 3:
✓ these files have .mp3 files extension.
✓ It is a compressed file format used for storing audio files.
✓ This file type can’t store still or moving images.
✓ It is suitable for the use on the internet.

Common generic compressed files:

Roshal Archive:

✓ these files have a .rar file extension.

✓ It is a container that can hold almost any file type in a compressed format.
✓ It is used to reduce the number of bytes needed to save file, either to save storage
space or to reduce transmission time when sent from device to another.
✓ It is developed for windows by Russian software engineer Eugene Roshal and takes
it acronym from (roshal archive).
Zip:

✓ These files have .zip extension.

✓ It is a container that can hold almost any file type in a compressed format.
✓ It is used to reduce the number of bytes needed to save file, either to save storage
space or to reduce transmission time when sent from device to another.
 [Type here]

Why to reduce file size for storage or transmissions:

1. To use limited storage space in the most efficient way.
2. Higher up the speed at which files are transmitted (sent) between one device and
anotherand on the internet.

the more
the higher the time it
size of the file takes to
trnasmit

There are two types of images:

Lower-resolution images:
✓ Very small in size (don’t take large storage space).
✓ Suitable for webpage to speed-up the loading time of the page.
Higher-resolution images:
✓ Large in size.
✓ Used in videos.

the higher the the larger

resolution the file

Note: the video files contain thousands of still images so it is the

largest files stored and transmitted.
Note:

In any system dealing with images and storing images in databases, for example Driver
licensing application in which the driver should be stored in database, the images should be
kept as small as possible in order not to occupy much size in memory, and take less time to
load. To do this you must either choose to:

✓ Resize an image. (Change physical dimensions – width and height).

✓ Resample an image. (change the quality of the image).

Resize an image:
✓ This method is used to physically resize an image by any graphics package, and save
the new image usually with a new filename.
✓ The advantage in using this method is that it will be leaded and displayed quickly.
✓ This disadvantage in this method is that it will be lower -resolute image, which may
appear pixelated specially if you want to enlarge them.

Resampling:
✓ The process of changing the quality of an image is called resampling.
✓ Down-sampled images use fewer pixels for the image, leading into reduction in image
quality.

File Options:
Save: to save the current file with the same filename.
Save as: to save the current file with a new filename/new file types or new location.
Print: to print the current file.
Export: to export, save a copy in .pdf format or to change the file type in some package.
What is a document?
A piece of written or printed material, or an electronic file provides information or evidence
or that serves as an official document for example word processed documents, reports from
databases using Microsoft access, spreadsheets, graphs, and charts using Microsoft excel and
presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Before writing any document it should be planned.
Planning it:

✓ What is the purpose of the document?

✓ Who is the target audience?
✓ How will it make it suitable for these audience?
✓ What is the appropriate medium?
✓ What is the appropriate package?

Header: is the area of a document between the top of the page and the top margin.
Footer: is the area of a document between the bottom of the page and the bottom margin.

➔ Both header and footer areas include author’s name, the document’s filename, page
numbering, or even a company logo, book/document/chapter, and title.

Corporate house style (corporate branding):

✓ Is the process of adopting specific styles for the work that will be produced for a
company will usually have a logo, color scheme, font style, paragraph style, page layout,
page formatting, and defined style for bullet and numbering.
✓ It is important that you apply these styles to every element that you produce, for
example document, presentation or any other form of communication specially when it
is for customers or clients.
What is the purpose of a house style?

✓ Make sure all documents, and other materials from an organization have consistency.
✓ Save time in planning, setting up, creating and formatting documents and other
materials
✓ Support brand recognition.
✓ Reduce risk of mistakes in documents, like typing errors in an address or telephone
number or missing an important element like a logo.
There are two categories of fonts:
1. Serif fonts.
2. Sans-serif fonts.
Serif:
✓ The word “Serif” describes the short strokes at the end of individual letters
✓ Often used in newspapers and books as they are usually easier to read than san-serif
fonts.
Sans-serif:
✓ No short strokes in sans-serif fonts.
✓ Appropriate to use for emphasis or for titles or subtitles.
Note:
✓ It is not sensible to use more than two different font faces on any page.
✓ You can use other enhancements to make text stand out, such as bold, Italic,
underline, and highlighting. Other enhancements used to emphasize texts is to color
it and also color backgrounds.

Font Size:
Font sizes are measured in points, and choosing the suitable font size depends on the target
audience.

✓ 10 points is an appropriate font size for body text, for most adults.
✓ Older readers prefer 12 points font size.
✓ 14 points is generally unsuitable as body text for adults but ideal for children.
✓ 20-24 points font size in suitable as body text size for ages between 4 and 6 for the
purpose of making out letter shapes.
✓ Larger font sizes are suitable or appropriate as body text for partially sighted.

Serif → Times New Roman.

Sans-serif → Arial.

Font Face:
✓ It is the design of the type face.
✓ Some fonts can be the same size but appear to be different heights and widths.
The height of the font is measured by using the measurement from the top of the letter
with the tallest ascender, to the bottom of the one with the tallest descender. For
example, h & f.

Spell check:
✓ Spell check is a test carried out by the word processor on the text. As the user works it
checks each word and compares to those held in its dictionary.
✓ If the word processor shows the red wavy underline it may be:
1. Spelling error.
2. Telling a user that word program has compared this word to its dictionary and not
found a match.
Grammar check:
Grammar check is a test carriedbyoutthe word processor on the text for grammar errors
and underline it blue wavy line.

Validation:
✓ Validation is checking the data entered is reasonable.
✓ It is a process where data is checked to see if it satisfies certain criteria when input
into computer.
Types of validation checks:

Range checks: check whether data is within given acceptable values.

Look-up checks: this checks whether the data entered exists and is stored in a table
of data.
Length check: checks if the input data contains the required number of characters.
For example, person’s name shouldn’t contain any numbers or symbols.
Format/picture check: checks that data is in a specific format. For example, data
should be in the form DD/MMM/YYYY.
Presence check: checks if data is actually present and hasn’t been missed out. For
example, if a field in a form is not filled and left empty.

Proofing Techniques: Techniques used to reduce the number of errors in the work
and to make sure that the work is accurate. It includes spelling, punctuation and grammar
and page layout.
Page layout:

✓ The correct application of styles.

✓ The correct margin setting.
✓ Images placed as specified.
Objects are not overlapping.
Common data entry errors:
1. Spelling error.
2. Errors in the use of capital letters.
The spacing found between characters, for example too much spacing or the spacing is
totally missed out.
Verification:
Verification is a way of preventing errors when data is copied from one medium to another.
It helps to reduce the errors made when data is entered to a computer.
There are two types of verification:
1. Visual verification (visual check).
2. Double data entry.
Visual verification: it is the process of checking out for data entry errors by comparing the
original paper document with the data entered into the computer. This is not the same as
proofreading.
Double data entry: data entered into system twice (often by two different people). The two
sets of data are then compared by the computer and any differences in the data flagged as an
error and can be corrected by the user. For example, when a website asks a user to enter the
new password twice.
Why are validation and verification needed?
Help reduce the number of errors in data entry.