[dev] Re: a suckless hex editor

From: Random832 <random832_AT_fastmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2015 00:15:23 -0500

Greg Reagle <greg.reagle_AT_umbc.edu> writes:
> I agree that it is a "poor man's" hex editor. I am having fun with it, even if
> it is a toy. I don't have the desire to write a sophisticated hex editor
> (besides they already exist).
>
> I like that the small shell script can turn any editor into a hex editor. BTW,
> if od is replaced with hexdump -C or xxd or GNU od -tx1z, then the ascii will
> be in the dump too.

It being in the dump isn't really "enough" - in a real hex editor, you
can make changes on the ASCII side and expect them to be reflected in
the hex side (and ultimately the binary file), whereas using xxd [etc]
means the ASCII side is static and is ignored when read back in.

This does have its place, though... It's basically an editor-portable
version of the recipe that vim provides for using xxd to "edit" binary
files. Which is itself a compelling enough use case for xxd to be
included with vim in the first place (as far as I know xxd has no other
vim-related purpose). But it's not a hex editor.
Received on Sat Nov 14 2015 - 06:15:23 CET