Gatekeeper preventing me from opening data files in a text editor

You can apply to a folder:

find ~/Documents -name "*.dat" -exec xattr -d com.apple.quarantine {} \;

Ended up creating a StartInterval launch agent that runs every 5 minutes to run the command.

Have you tried Control (right) - clicking on the file and select Open from the menu?

Yes, Sequoia 15.4.1 seems to be overprotective for even pure data files such as .xmp if they happen to have com.apple.quarantine flag.

How to permanently allow opening .webp fi… - Apple Community

canecaster wrote:

I have a large database of text files (.dat), downloaded from a repository I trust, that I periodically have to view or edit in a text editor (usually BBEdit but same issue exists with TextEdit). I never had an issue before today, but it seems that Gatekeeper has become more agressive about these data files and prevents me from opening them unless I go into Security settings and hit "Open Anyway". This is quite a nuisance because it's happening on thousands of files and doesn't remember my previous overrides (every time I edit a file I have to go manually override.

If I have BBEdit open, I can navigate to the file within the editor and open it that way. I also can right click on one of the files and go down to the Services menu and select "Open file in BBEdit"). But what I'm really looking for is a way to mass designate these downloaded files as safe in a way the OS will remember. Can this be done?

. dat files from where, associated with what application...(?)

I would use what works. Nothing wrong with using BBedit.

On a selected file and change the default—> Command i opens the information pane. Make a change here: "Change All"

LdGilmoure wrote:

.out files (from an app I'm running on MY server) are also blocked.

*sigh*

Some of the common file formats using .out — such as the ubiquitous a.out file — are executables.

Not at all surprising that gets blocked.

Use .txt, if it’s a text file using the .out type.

And use macOS 15.5, if not already.

.out files (from an app I'm running on MY server) are also blocked.

*sigh*