Underscore in a filename

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Guest

At my office (and other offices I have been in) they use the underscore (_)
in filenames and folder names. I have never been given an explanation for
this. What is the reasoning behind this? Is it necessary? What will happen if
I do not use the underscore? Please help.

Cheers,
Bob
 
bmillerponcho said:
At my office (and other offices I have been in) they use the
underscore (_) in filenames and folder names. I have never been given
an explanation for this. What is the reasoning behind this? Is it
necessary? What will happen if I do not use the underscore? Please
help.
Click to expand...


If you don't use the underscore when you reference a file or folder name
that has one, you won't get to what you're looking for.

If you are creating a file or folder name yourself, of course no underscore
is necessary.

The underscore is a character like any other character that's legal in
filenames. It has no special status. Your question is like asking. "I've
seen some filenaes which have the letter 'e' in them. Is it necessary that
all filenames have an 'e' in them?" No, of course not.
 
Hi Bob,

Two setting to check.

Open Internet Options - Advanced Tab, and under Browsing - Underline
links select the desired behavior.

Open My Computer - Tools - Folder Options and adjust 'Click items as
follows.
 
Thank you for your reply. I think I get it. It serves no 'special purpose' at
all. Whenever I see a file or folder someone has created, instead of using
the spacebar to create a space between multiple words they use the
underscore. Seemed like a silly thing to do in the first place. I guess they
thought they had to do it, which is why I started to do it until I began
questioning it and nobody had an answer.

Bob
 
I may be wrong, but I think it's a holdover from the days of DOS, which did
not allow spaces in filenames. People used underscores instead, and the
practice remains with us today as a time honored custom.
 
bmillerponcho said:
Thank you for your reply. I think I get it. It serves no 'special
purpose' at all. Whenever I see a file or folder someone has created,
instead of using the spacebar to create a space between multiple words
they use the underscore. Seemed like a silly thing to do in the first
place. I guess they thought they had to do it, which is why I started
to do it until I began questioning it and nobody had an answer.
Click to expand...

Some of us do it because Windows operating systems allow spaces and
other operating systems don't. So those of us who use more than one
operating system just get in the habit of not using spaces. It also
makes it easier to search from the commandline.

Malke
 
bmillerponcho said:
Thank you for your reply.
Click to expand...


You're welcome. Glad to help.

I think I get it. It serves no 'special
purpose' at all.

Exactly.


Whenever I see a file or folder someone has created,
instead of using the spacebar to create a space between multiple
words they use the underscore.
Click to expand...


Yes, if you go back to earlier days, spaces in filenames weren't permitted
the way they are now. And even now, on some platforms they aren't permitted.

Seemed like a silly thing to do in the
first place.
Click to expand...


It was always a reasonable approximation of a space.

I guess they thought they had to do it,
Click to expand...


I doubt if most people thought they had to. They just thought that a name
like john_doe.doc was easier to read than
johndoe.doc.
 
Ted Zieglar said:
I may be wrong, but I think it's a holdover from the days of DOS, which did
not allow spaces in filenames. People used underscores instead, and the
practice remains with us today as a time honored custom.
Click to expand...
Ted,

Kerrect ;-) when the application hit a space in a filename it would stop
reading the filename at the space and would be unable to open the file, as
the space invariably came before the extension.

MH
 
Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:49:23 -0800 from bmillerponcho
At my office (and other offices I have been in) they use the underscore (_)
in filenames and folder names. I have never been given an explanation for
this. What is the reasoning behind this?
Click to expand...

In the olden days, before Microsoft OSes could handle spaces in file
names, underscores were used where a space would appear in natural
language. Old habits die hard.
Is it necessary? What will happen if
I do not use the underscore?
Click to expand...

What will happen if a file is called ABCDE and you refer to it as
ABDE? If you don't specify the correct name, you cam't open a file.
 
alongfilenamewithoutspaceswherespacesarenotlegalishardtoread.

a_long_filename_without_spaces_where_spaces_are_not_legal_is_hard_to_read.

8.3 filenames does not allow spaces, whether in MS-DOS or in Windows NT.

C:\DOCUME~1\WESLEY~1.VOG\LOCALS~1

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Ken Blake said:
You're welcome. Glad to help.




Yes, if you go back to earlier days, spaces in filenames weren't permitted
the way they are now. And even now, on some platforms they aren't
permitted.




It was always a reasonable approximation of a space.




I doubt if most people thought they had to. They just thought that a name
like john_doe.doc was easier to read than
johndoe.doc.
Click to expand...

Another thought. If any of these files will be placed on the internet the
underscore is much desired. Otherwise this_name will appear as this%20name
 
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