A file is a container that holds information. Most of the files
you use contain information (data) in some particular format--a
document, a spreadsheet, a chart. The format is the particular
way the data is arranged inside the file. The format of a file
is known as its data type. When File Manager is in one of its
icon-view modes, you can identify the data type of a file by the
icon used to represent the file. Each data type has a different
icon. Most application programs understand a limited number of
data types. For example, a document editor probably cannot read
a spreadsheet file. The desktop helps you recognize different
types of files using a data-type database. In most cases, when
you double-click a file, the desktop will automatically launch
the application that understands that file's data type. The
maximum allowable length of a file name varies from system to
system. Some operating systems do not allow file names longer
than 14 characters. If necessary, consult with your system
administrator. A fold