Data Organization File and Directory Names

Organizing Your Files and Directories Searching & finding Sharing Security Clarity Preservation Improves

Folders named for major functions/activities Structure by date or event (especially subfolders) Names should be self- explanatory Avoid duplication Make it simple & consistent Organizing Files & Directories

File Names Use descriptive names Not too long; CamelCase Try to include time –Date using YYYYMMDD –Use version numbers Don’t use spaces –May use “-” or “_” Don’t change default extensions

File Naming and Directory Organizing Astronomy Observatory Runs Directory: source + date Ex. September 2012 = sep12 Source: c40 = Las Campanas 40-inch Sub-Directory: one directory for each night; n# (# for the number of the night). Additional directories for “special” data, and log files that apply to entire run Files: for each nightly directory, number sequentially starting w/1001 (for night 1, first data frame), then for night two start with 2001, etc. The original raw data files are kept in a separate, read-only directory