How to get rid of '._' files on a hard disk?

Hello everyone!

I'm working on analyzing some images with a code, and all my files and matlab codes are running on an external hard disk. I was having trouble running my code until I realized that my files contained a '._' at the beginning. I read online that these are common with mac files that are then read on a windows disk (I believe thats the case). Is there anyway I can overwrite this?

[per isakson]

"Is there anyway I can overwrite this?" Do you want to rename the files? If so, how?

[Shayma Al Ali]

I want to get rid of the '._' in the beginning of the file name.

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Just skip it

for k = 1 :  numFiles
    thisFileName = allFiles{k}; % Get the full or base file name somehow.
    if startsWith(thisFileName, '._')
        % Skip this file if it starts with dot underline.
        continue; % Jump to the bottom of the loop.
    end
    % Code to process the other files goes here...
end

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

Getting rid of the ._ at the beginning of the name is usually the wrong thing to do. Those files contain extended attributes, not data contents. ._YourFunction.m is not the content of YourFunction.m and instead it is file information about YourFunction.m

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/14980/why-are-dot-underscore-files-created-and-how-can-i-avoid-them