NAMING CONVENTIONS:
Example
File Name
Authcode
Version Number
Status Code
Format Tag
x12ctg3-xmldr-todo-list_chief_1_5_dft.xls
The Alexandrian Authority™ naming protocol is robust, so a great deal of information about an individual file can be communicated to potential readers to help them determine whether they want to open it. The 64-characters available to the file name are supplemented by a user’s ability to store even more information in two comment fields that can be displayed by clicking on the file name. The subject field of the file is the primary method of conveying information to potential readers.
Some suggestions for best practices appear in the following sections.
Determine the most significant information contained in your file. For example, if you are storing XML data on a specific business function, the subject field might be xml-invoice-sample. If the document has a special purpose, describe it more granularly by adding that information: xml-invoice-bill-ready-sample.
Because an upload date is prominently displayed with stored files, it is usually unnecessary to include a date in a file name. Furthermore, when a file containing a date as part of its name will be regularly updated, the use of a date may prove problematic to readers. If you have a good reason for providing a date other than the upload date, use a date format that will be meaningful to your audience. Use it consistently, especially if the file will be updated regularly or identified as the parent of subsequent files. Remember that you are not only storing information but also providing a collaborative environment for others.
On login, your default authcode is automatically assigned to any document you upload. While you may choose alternate authcodes, you should not choose them frivolously. In the future, Alex may exclude some authcodes and reserve some for specific users. System managers will periodically examine names and remove inappropriate names.
Alex suggests 1_0 for an initial entry. When Alex recognizes an update or parenting sequence, it suggests the use of consistent sequential minor version increments, e.g., 1_1, 1_2, 1_3, etc. You can override such Alex suggestions by incrementing the minor version to a higher number. Once a version number is stored in Alex, however, you may not use a lower number of the sequence. Thus, having bumped a version to 1_6 from 1_3, a user may not upload a version 1_4 or 1_5. If, in incrementing version numbers, you think a sequence in a descent tree display could prove troublesome to others, use the description box of the uploaded file to explain what you have done.
You can increment a major version at any time.
The code dft (draft) is Alex’s default suggestion for most files. A number of other codes can be selected from a pull-down menu. You may, however, choose any three-character alphabetic code. In a collaborative environment, the codes should make sense to all members, and there should be agreement about what they mean.
Alex reserves the use of numerals in status codes for personal dynamic edit copies. Such codes cannot be invoked or manipulated by users.
The format of the uploaded file is the default type associated with the stored file. If Alex does not recognize a particular format, it will prompt you for a new format tag and a description. Macintosh users represent a special case because Macintosh systems don’t produce format tags for their files. It is a good idea to use conventional format tags associated with certain application file formats (for example, .doc, .xls, .ppt, .wpd) when uploading files originated on a Macintosh computer that will be downloaded by other users with different host systems.