EBCDIC files containing binary data can be viewed and edited in a split EBCDIC/Hex mode window. The text portions (fields) can be edited in the EBCDIC window while the binary portions (fields) are edited in the hex window.
How to Edit a Binary File in Split EBCDIC and Hex Windows
- Open the file in the usual manner, e.g. with FILE > Open.
- If you can immediately read the file after opening it, (i.e. it is not initially unreadable), then it is not an EBCDIC file. Files transferred from a mainframe are sometimes already translated to ASCII. (Although often not correctly translated.)
- Press Alt-D (the hot-key for VIEW > Toggle display mode ) eight times to toggle to the “EBCDIC” display mode, as indicated on the status line.
- The text should now be readable, although the lines (records) many not align correctly.
- epending upon whether the EBCDIC file has lines ending in ASCII Carriage-Return / Line-Feed (hex value 0D / 0A) or in EBCDIC Line-Feed (hex value 25), or has fixed-length records, you may need to change CONFIG > File handling > File type.
- If the EBCDIC lines end in ASCII Carriage-Return / Line-Feed, vEdit should have automatically detected this and set the File type correctly. The lines should already be aligned on the screen.
- Many EBCDIC files have fixed-length records, and you may have been told what the record length is. Set CONFIG > File handling > File type to the record length. You can also deduce the record length with some experimentation.
- Although rare, some EBCDIC lines end in EBCDIC Line-Feed. You can try setting CONFIG > File handling > File type to “4” to see if this aligns the lines on the screen.
- Select View > Toggle hex mode split.
- Click in the right window, and press Alt-D (Hot-key for VIEW > Toggle display mode) four times to toggle to the “EBCDIC” display mode, as indicated on the status line.
You can now edit the EBCDIC file in a combination of text and hex modes.
Related Resources