Tips to open PHO file
Can't open the PHO file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open PHO files as well as a list of programs that support PHO files.
PHO file extension
| File Name |
Gerber Photoplot Format |
| File Developer |
Ucamco |
| File Category |
CAD Files |
The PHO file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the PHO files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the PHO file on each system platform.
What is PHO file?
The PHO file has been categorized as CAD Files. The creator of this file is Ucamco. Additionally, the CAD Files category contains 158 of other files. Gerber Photoplot Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. There are also 1 alternative programs to handle the PHO file. The Altium Designer programs will also handle the file when the ViewMate program does not fulfill its role.
How to open PHO file?
An often recurring problem with Gerber Photoplot Format is that PHO is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open PHO, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.
The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the PHO 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 ViewMate
The first step is to check if the computer has the ViewMate program installed. To do this, enter the name ViewMate into the system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below is a list of programs that support the file PHO.
Programs to open PHO file
Remember to download programs supporting PHO files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.
Step 2. Create association of ViewMate with PHO files
However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the PHO file to open in the ViewMate 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. Using the "Change" button we can select the desired program. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the ViewMate application as the default for handling the PHO file.
Step 3. Update ViewMate to the latest version
If, however, after binding ViewMate with Gerber Photoplot Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version.
Step 4. Check for the following problems with the PHO file
The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. The most common file problems are:
Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. Usually this applies to PHO files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the PHO file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected PHO files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
Older version of PHO 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 the failure. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair PHO file corruption.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted PHO files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. Copying the PHO file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem usually affects more complex files. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Just close unnecessary programs. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file PHO to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the PHO file for a certain period of time. If nothing helps, please reset the device.
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