This GUI tool allows the developer to paste or load an array of bytes for interpretation. As bytes are selected with the pointing device, a tooltip reveals possible ways of interpreting binary data based on which primitive types are relevant for the number of selected bytes. The developer may add separators between "fields" in the array and choose the data type for recognized fields.
Templates may be saved for interpreting similar arrays of bytes. Helper facilities would be provided for guessing field boundaries using string detection. A knob would allow byte order interpretation as big or little endian. Long arrays of bytes would be intelligently wrapped into multiple lines on the display, and printable renderings of the array would be offered.
Far better than a hex editor, this tool would be indispensable for binary message parsing or file analysis.-- ed, Dec 13 2011 The depth of understanding that is evident in your description of the concept leads me to believe you are capable of creating this tool. If so, do, and forge onward, friend.-- Alterother, Dec 13 2011 So, an editor for text, hex, and arbitrary / mixed data types? I can think of a few times when this would have made my life easier, so (+). You could probably write this for Emacs.
Not massively keen on the tooltip part, and implied mouse-centricity, but that's a minor grumble.
Your code will have to be 8-bit clean (a term I learned 20 seconds ago), but some platforms (e.g. zile) already are.-- spidermother, Dec 13 2011 Killa Byte - Mega Byte - Giga Byte - Fucka Byte - My plastic girlfriend bit my dicka BITE.-- RedWire, Dec 13 2011 TERROR BITE-- RedWire, Dec 13 2011 Lot of biters in the 'Bakery tonight...-- Alterother, Dec 13 2011 Stay away from me this is Scary Byte - Maybe Intimidate a Byte - Loco Mosquito Byte (Iggy Pop)-- RedWire, Dec 13 2011 8 - bit Cleaner Byte at 1 Hz - Softa Byte-- RedWire, Dec 13 2011 Doesn't VS have such a thing? Not for mixed datatypes though.-- fho, Dec 13 2011 who is this [RedWire]??? answer: someone with no idea(s)-- xandram, Dec 13 2011 random, halfbakery