File Functions > File System Review > Files

Files

Windows stores information on the disk in files. Each image that you save is stored in a separate file. Each file is given a name (called the file name) at the time it is saved. After the file has been created it may be referenced by its name.

The file name may be up to 245 characters long and, in PCI/CFR, usually ends with a four character extension. The extension is used to indicate the type of file referred to by the name and is separated from the root name by a period. For example, Insect.CFRD would be a valid file name for a PCI/CFR data file using Standard File System Storage. In this case the root name is Insect and the extension is CFRD. You can use both upper and lower case characters in the file name. You can also use spaces and most other printing characters. With the Secure Repository, PCI/CFR uses the TIF extension for images.

Standard File System Storage

PCI/CFR images are actually stored in two separate files. PCI/CFR-specific information is stored in the CFRD file, while the image itself is stored in a separate file with the CFRI extension.

When you make changes to your images, PCI/CFR saves each image with an additional numeric extension that indicates the version number. For example, Insect.CFRD.2 would be the second version of the Insect.CFRD file.When you load a CFRD file from inside PCI/CFR, the software automatically searches for and loads the most recent version. If you want to load an earlier version, you can do so by explicitly typing the full name with the version number extension into the File Open dialog (see The File Open Command) or by loading the latest version and clicking on the hyperlinks available in the Display Audit Information command (see The Display Audit Information Command).

Secure Repository Storage

Files stored in the Secure Repository appear to the user as .TIF files on the Q:\ drive. The audit information and older versions of the file are stored by PCI/CFR behind the scenes. Users do not access this data directly.