open Unix Executable Files or Executable Files

[CowboyBlue]

Over the years, my photos and data files have been turning into either Executable Files and/or Unix Executable Files. Tried everything to open them. There are thousands now.
How can I open or read them. Thanks! CowboyBlue

 

[harryb2448]

G'day and welcome to the forums.

And this is on a what Mac running which operating system?

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Over the years, my photos and data files have been turning into either Executable Files and/or Unix Executable Files. Tried everything to open them. There are thousands now.
How can I open or read them.

Under OS X a file will display as a UNIX executable file if it has lost the identifying metadata to tell your OS what created it and what program it should be opened by. Sometimes this metadata is lost when you transfer files from one computer to another.

If you still have the program that created these files, or an updated version, or even a similar type of program, open that program and from within that program open one of your UNIX executable files (File menu --> Open), then once you have successfully opened the file, re-save it within the program. That should fix things.

If that doesn't work, you can download the free utility:

MuchoFileInfo (free)
http://www.muchosoft.com/fileinfo.htm

and attempt to restore the "Type" and "Creator" codes for the file, if you know what program the file should be associated with.