how to launch an executable file (2024)

Tomo 2

560 points

Zyriab

3,344 points

Welcome to the world of Macs - life is much better here! 😁 This is pretty much the best book to get you going:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mac-OS-Lion-Missing-Manuals/dp/1449397492/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1328543153&sr=8-1

"Lion for Dummies" is quite good too, but the above is waaaay better!

What is the file you've downloaded? You say its an executable file, but if it's a .EXE file then that's Windows only, it won't run on OS X. Most Mac software you can download comes as a .DMG file.

wjosten

95,321 points

s2parks wrote:

I am have downloaded an executable file that I need for work, but cannot seem to get it to launch to install my program.

If this is a Windows .exe file, it won't. You'd need to install Windows to do that. Please specify, exactly, what this file is, with extension.

Shootist007

16,703 points

s2parks wrote:

I recently journeyed into the land of the light and am the brand new owner of a MacBook Pro. Having been a slave to PC's for WAY too long, I am clueless how the mac operates, but a VERY quick learner.

I am have downloaded an executable file that I need for work, but cannot seem to get it to launch to install my program. I know this is very elementary, but we all have to start somewhere.

Thank you!

Shelly

PS - this is only the first elementary question i will have, so if you have a good source for Mac beginners, please share. I haved purchased "Macbook Pro - Portable Genius", but that seems to be more focused on visually arranging my computer.

Sorry to say this but now you will become a Slave to Apple and Mac OS X.

Actually there is very little difference between the 2 platforms.

As to the Executable file. Apple Mac OS X does not use Executable files (.exe). Those are for Windows based computers. Mac OS X uses .DMG files and .APP files. .DMG is the compressed format of a program which may come as just a DMG or a DMG wrapped up in a .ZIP file.

You would need to double click on a ZIP file to expand it to a DMG then double click on the DMG to expand it into a working .APP file and then drag it to the Applications folder. Some programs have installers that walk you through the process and others don't. With the ones that don't you need to physically Drag the .APP file to the Applications folder to install it. The ones that do kind of walk you through the process you will still need to drag the app icon to the Applications folder but that will be done in its own window.

fane_j

3,697 points

Shootist007 wrote:

As to the Executable file. Apple Mac OS X does not use Executable files (.exe).

Ahem! Of course it does. Any computer does

<http://foldoc.org/executable>

It's just that, on Mac OS X, the filename extension .exe does not designate an executable, as it does on other platforms. Mac OS X GUI applications have the filename extension .app, but, technically speaking, although they function as the equivalents of .exe files on Win, they are not executables themselves (the executable file being buried inside).

Mac software is usually (but by no means always) distributed as compressed archives (.zip), with which you're familiar from Win, or as disk images (.dmg), which may or may not be compressed. In principle they are similar to .iso disc images on Win. (Btw, a disk is a magnetic medium, while a disc is an optical medium. Now you know how to separate the sheep from the goats.)

s2parks wrote:

we all have to start somewhere.

Switch 101: On Windows, I used to...

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2514>

Mac Tutorials

<http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/work/>

Mac 101

<http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/>

Additionally, David Pogue's Missing Manual is often suggested for beginners. You can also check

Take Control of Switching to the Mac by Scott Knaster

<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/switching>