More advanced Mac users can still extract pkg files with pkgutil without actually installing them but it requires the use of the command line, and the Show Files method to see what files are going to be installed and where to is not always available or detailed enough.
Longtime Mac users may recall that a package inspection feature used to exist in Mac OS X some time ago via the right-click menu, but that feature has since been removed. Where Suspicious Package really gets useful is in more advanced situations where higher Mac security is necessary and where users want to be sure a file is trusted and an installer isn’t doing anything sketchy when it’s run. If you’re downloading all of your apps, updates, and packages from or an equally trustworthy location, you may find Suspicious Package to be interesting but not particularly noteworthy since the source is trusted, though even packages from Apple can encounter weirdness like having a pkg get stuck on Verifying which can sometimes be troubleshooted through a utility like this. While all of this is informative to any and all users, it’s really intended for advanced users who encounter package files from dubious sources or that are otherwise questionable. The final tab shows the scripts that will be run, “post install” which are often cleanup bash scripts that adjust permissions or perform a cleanup duty: The “All Files” view shows you exactly what files are going to arrive from the package file and where they are going to go, including permissions for specific files: The first is “Package Info” which shows an overview including how many items will be installed, the size of the installation, the developer ID and if it is signed (if applicable) and valid or expired, how many installation scripts are run, and where and when it was downloaded: Within Suspicious Package, you’ll see three primary tabs which detail all sorts of information about the package file. Once Suspicious Package is installed, you can give it a try by dragging any PKG installer file into the application, or selecting a package installer in the Finder and hitting Command+Spacebar to activate Quick Look on the package in question.
If any of this sounds interesting to you, you’ll want to download and install the application, which includes a Quick Look plugin: pkg files on a Mac is not particularly complicated though it’s obviously most appropriate for advanced users who will have a general idea of what they’re looking at and what to make of it. Using Suspicious Package to open and inspect. The contents of an EXE file can be examined manually using 7-Zip.This is where the amusingly named ‘Suspicious Package’ application comes in to play, it’s a free Mac app which allows the opening and inspection of PKG installer files before the installation is actually executed, giving you a look at what is going to happen when the PKG is run. Special care should be taken while opening any unknown *.exe file, as it can infect or modify the settings of your system. NET framework can also run on Mac OS X and Linux systems using Xamarin's Mono framework.Īlert: Executables are also used to spread trojans and other malicious programs.
Darwine and Crossover translation software can also help in opening some Mac programs in OS X. Important: EXE files does not run in OS X without an emulation software, such as Parallels Desktop.
exe files can also contain various other data, such as program icons/images. These files can be found in 16-bit, 32-bit as well as 64-bit versions.Īlmost every program has one or more executable files to start it, as it is probably one of the most used file formats. EXE format is utilized in many operating system, including MS-DOS, Mac, OS/2, Symbian or OpenVMS. There are numerous versions of this file format, but all serve the purpose to start a program. It runs when it is opened and it should execute and begin the installation when double-clicked.
exe file extension is used for program executable file for Mac or DOS operating systems.