Tips to open CGI file

Can't open the CGI file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open CGI files as well as a list of programs that support CGI files.

CGI file extension

File Name Common Gateway Interface Script
File Category Executable Files

The CGI file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the CGI files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the CGI file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 4
  • 3
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is CGI file?

The .CGI file is a text file. It contains a script written in a programming language responsible for the dynamic content of a website. It can also exist in compiled binary form - in this case it cannot be edited. The .CGI script does not have to be responsible for the website interface, it can be responsible for background processes (e.g. sending email messages). In order to fulfill their role, the scripts are placed on the server together with the website. It has been established to put them in the additional CGI-BIN directory.

How to open CGI file?

The most common problem when using Common Gateway Interface Script is that a specific CGI is not associated with the program. This causes the file CGI to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the CGI file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install BBEdit

In this case, you should first verify that the BBEdit application is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing BBEdit into the operating system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open CGI files.

Step 2. Create association of BBEdit with CGI files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the CGI file to open in the BBEdit application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the BBEdit application as the default for handling the CGI file.

Step 3. Update BBEdit to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the BBEdit program, it is possible that Common Gateway Interface Script requires a newer version of the program. Some applications allow you to update from the program level, and for others you need to download the installer from the Bare Bones Software page and install.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the CGI file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. The most common file problems are:

The CGI file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This suggests truncating the CGI file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our CGI file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover CGI files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
Older version of CGI file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular CGI file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact N/A
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted CGI files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. Copying the CGI file to another location will fix the problem.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the CGI file while scanning. If this does not work either, restart the device.