Hex editors...one question

[BgArt5]

What the heck are they? I've heard the term before and have tried to search around for the answer. I find plenty of hex editors to use but I can't find out what they're actually used for.

 

[skritch]

They read files, disk sectors, memory locations, etc (depends on the editor), and displays the contents in hex (and occasionally ASCII as well).

You may then edit that data and save it back out.

 

[neomage2021]

A hex editor is used to edit binary files which cannot normaly be edited with text editors. Hex editors can be used for debugging programs and other things along that line. I mostly use hex editors for hacking pc games.

 

[Ruckus]

back with VB3 you could take a hex editor by itself and rewrite someones program to customize it to you. i.e. change the name and stuff like that. AOLers use to make progs for AOL that did various things (yes I was one back in thew days) and people would use hex editors to rewrite the name for the program and some other thing and claim they wrote it. Its harder now, It's used with other programs like softice to crack software "trial versions" and other things.