SimplyPats User Forum

View Hidden Files and Folders and File Extensions

SimplyPats Version 7 installs a majority of its files to a different path than previous versions. The actual path may vary depending on the Operating System you are using, but generally speaking it is not easily accessible on a standard Windows Installation due to certain Files and Folders being hidden by default.

File Extensions for known file types are also hidden by default. If you want to turn this option Off and show File Extensions, this can be done at the same time


Why would I want to change these settings?

If you need access to the SimplyPats 7 folder to manually back up your data, in this case you will first need to make sure that the View Hidden Files and Folders option is turned On so you can see and therefore have easy access to the “AppData” folder under your Windows Profile.

Being able to see the File Extension for files can also be handy in certain views, it also makes it slightly easier to rename the extension if needed. Backup files generated by SimplyPats have the .bac file extension, changing this to .pat (the standard SimplyPats Data File extension) will mean that these files can then be opened up in SimplyPats.

The renaming of the file extension mentioned above only works because the .bac files that SimplyPats creates are identical to the .pat files, we give them a different name to make sure that SimplyPats does not search through them when any of the Global Search features within the software are used.

NOTE… You cannot simply rename any file extension such as .xls, .doc or .pdf for instance and then expect the files to load up in SimplyPats, only .pat files originally created by SimplyPats can be opened by SimplyPats.


Changing the settings for Hidden Files and Folders and File Extensions

Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7

Open Windows Explorer (not to be confused with Internet Explorer) by clicking on the “My Computer” or “Computer” Icon situated on the right hand side of the Start Menu, or if you have an Icon for “My Computer” or “Computer” on your Desktop Double Click on it.

On the “File Menu” click “Tools” and choose “Folder Options”

On the “Folder Options” window, select the “View” Tab to show a list of “Advanced Settings”

Scroll through the list and select the “Show hidden files, folders and drives option.

You can also change the setting to show the file extensions from this screen by scrolling down to the "Hide extensions for known file types" and making sure that the option is Unticked.

click “Apply” followed by “Ok” to close the “Folder Options” screen.


Windows 8

Open Windows Explorer (not to be confused with Internet Explorer) by clicking on the “Windows Explorer” tile on the Start Screen or, if you are in the “original” Desktop Mode and have a Computer Icon there, simply double click on it.

On the “File Menu” click “View” to expand the View Options.

You should now see two options “File name extensions” and “Hidden items” make sure that both are ticked.