Practice №4 Editing of electronic documents Google Apps
Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides are a word processor, a spreadsheet and a presentation program respectively, all part of a free, web-based software office suite offered by Google within its Google Drive service. The suite allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating with other users in real-time.
|
Figure 4.1 – Google Docs |
The following apps are available as web applications, as Chrome apps that work offline, and as mobile apps for Android and iOS. The apps are compatible with Microsoft Office file formats. The suite also consists of Google Forms (survey software), Google Drawings (diagramming software) and Google Fusion Tables (database manager; experimental). While Forms and Tables are only available as web applications, Drawings is also available as a Chrome app.
The suite is tightly integrated with Google Drive. All files created with the apps are by default saved to Google Drive.
While Google Docs has been criticized for traditionally lacking the functionality of Microsoft Office, it has received praise for its simplicity, ease of collaboration and frequent product updates.
4.1 Creating new files
Google Drive gives you access to a suite of tools that allows you to create and edit a variety of files, including documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. There are five types of files you can create on Google Drive:
Documents: For composing letters, flyers, essays, and other text-based files (similar to Microsoft Word documents)
Spreadsheets: For storing and organizing information (similar to Microsoft Excel workbooks)
Presentations: For creating slideshows (similar to Microsoft PowerPoint presentations)
Forms: For collecting and organizing data
Drawings: For creating simple vector graphics or diagrams
The process for creating new files is the same for all file types.
To create a new file:
From Google Drive, locate and select the New button, then choose the type of file you want to create. In our example, we'll select Google Docs to create a new document.
|
Figure 4.2 – Google Docs. Create a new file |
Your new file will appear in a new tab on your browser. Locate and select Untitled document in the upper-left corner.
|
Figure 4.3 – Google Docs. Untitled document |
The Rename dialog box will appear. Type a name for your file, then click OK.
|
Figure 4.4 – Google Docs. Rename |
Your file will be renamed. You can access the file at any time from your Google Drive, where it will be saved automatically. Simply double-click to open the file again.
|
Figure 4.5 – Google Docs. Access the file |
You may notice that there is no Save button for your files. This is because Google Drive uses autosave, which automatically and immediately saves your files as you edit them.
|
Figure 4.6 – Google Docs. Autosave files |
