[comp.emacs] Editing binary files with GNU Emacs

baur@spp2.UUCP (Steven L. Baur) (09/09/88)

o
I just discovered that it is perfectly reasonable to edit binary files with
GNU Emacs.  (I have successfully edited the emacs executable and had it work).

Is a binary.el in the works?

steve

bob@allosaur.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bob Sutterfield) (09/09/88)

In article <1415@spp2.UUCP> baur@spp2.UUCP (Steven L. Baur) writes:
>I just discovered that it is perfectly reasonable to edit binary
>files with GNU Emacs.  (I have successfully edited the emacs
>executable and had it work).

Once, an operator here, when trying to take a Sun server to
single-user for level-0 dumps, noticed that there were still processes
running that he couldn't kill.  One in particular was named "init".
He decided to fix it by `mv /etc/init /etc/init.foo`.  He fixed it,
all right :-(

GNU Emacs persuaded a kernel to look for a such-named program, rather
than the more conventional /etc/init.  It saved the night.

>Is a binary.el in the works?

There's been some discussion of a mode that presents a file much like
od(1), but I haven't seen any yet.  Progress reports, anyone?
-=-
Zippy sez,								--Bob
.  ich bin in einem dusenjet ins jahr 53 vor chr...
 ich lande im antiken Rom...  einige gladiatoren spielen scrabble...
 ich rieche PIZZA...

nate@mipos2.intel.com (Nate Hess) (09/10/88)

In article <1415@spp2.UUCP>, baur@spp2 (Steven L. Baur) writes:
>I just discovered that it is perfectly reasonable to edit binary files with
>GNU Emacs.  (I have successfully edited the emacs executable and had it work).

Yes, I, too, have edited a binary or two with GNU Emacs.  Very handy!
One word of caution, however:  it's a very good idea to turn on the
overwrite minor mode in the buffer where the editing is taking place.

--woodstock
-- 
	   "What I like is when you're looking and thinking and looking
	   and thinking...and suddenly you wake up."   - Hobbes

woodstock@sc.intel.com    ...!{decwrl|hplabs!oliveb|amd}!intelca!mipos3!nate