Re: Editing binary files

On 07-06-10 11:56, Dotan Cohen wrote:
On 7 June 2010 12:54, Dotan Cohen<dotancohen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Some binary files do contain plain text in them. In theory, is it
possible to edit this plain text in an editor such as VIM and then
expect the binary to run?

I am specifically asking about some convoluted file format that I
cannot upload an example of, but the user lost the original files to
make it yet the parts that he needs changed are visible as plaintext
when opening in VIM. Despite it not working and my insistence that it
shouldn't work, the user _insists_ that he has done this before.

What say you?


Note that I am not talking about editing with a hex editor, apparently
these binary files were in fact edited by Notepad++ in Windows
sometime in the past. I do have reason to believe that the user is in
fact right.


As long as the length of the strings isn't changed, and there is no
funky CR/LF substitution, then yes, in theory it is possible. But so
much horrible things could go wrong that you'd be better off with a hex
editor.

--
Amedee

--
ubuntu-users mailing list
ubuntu-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

Relevant Pages

  • Re: A good IDE for C development?
    ... >> ctags is my way. ... > I use both Emacs and vim, ... BTW, the reason I prefer, and recommend using some general editor like ... machine has proved much more convenient then any ide I've used. ...
    (freebsd-questions)
  • RE: text editor
    ... Subject: text editor ... What is VIM? ... FreeBSD has a built-in software acquisition system. ... Before Windows and Apple, computers were told what to do without a mouse. ...
    (freebsd-questions)
  • Re: text editor
    ... Subject: text editor ... What is VIM? ... FreeBSD has a built-in software acquisition system. ... Before Windows and Apple, computers were told what to do without a mouse. ...
    (freebsd-questions)
  • Re: OT: mutt/nano spell checking
    ... then that's no longer intuition. ... time my vi is actually vim; but I wouldn't for a second recommend it ... needs a feature that his 'perfectly fine' editor does not provide. ... My feeling about nano is that if it is considerably easier to "master" ...
    (Debian-User)
  • Re: Why Ruby does not nead an ide
    ... to choose your primary editor as one that can open those files. ... C-x C-c Space Space - siz keypresses. ... 'cause that's the only instance where Vim wins on keypresses. ... Emacs for if you can hack elisp like there's no ...
    (comp.lang.ruby)