xed(1)                                                                  xed(1)



NAME
       xed - CURSES based hex/ASCII file editor

SYNOPSIS
       xed [ -x ] [ -i ] [ -r ] [ -c ] [ -R ] filename

DESCRIPTION
       xed  edits  filename allowing individual bytes to be altered, either as
       hex or as ASCII.

OPTIONS
       xed accepts these switches

       -x     Edit the file directly, rather than a memory based  copy.   Cer-
              tain  commands  are  disabled  if  this  switch is provided (see
              USAGE).

       -i     Start off in insert mode.

       -r     Start off in regular expression search mode.

       -c     Start off in case insensitive search mode.

       -R     Switch on read only mode  (note  this  mode  cannot  be  toggled
              whilst in xed ).

USAGE
       xed  is  a simple hex and ASCII based file editor.  The display is made
       up of a banner, which describes the file being editted; the size of the
       file  (in  hex);  the cursor position within the file (in hex); whether
       you are operating in overtype or insert mode; whether you are in simple
       string  or  regular  expression search mode and the case sensitivity of
       the search.

       Below the banner is the editting area, with the  file  offset  and  hex
       listing on the left, and the ASCII on the right.

       xed  operates within two modes when editting; hex and ASCII.  Below are
       the key commands valid in each mode.  Note that all the editting,  sav-
       ing and undo keys are ignored in read-only mode.

       HEX MODE

       Cursors keys
              Move around file

       h j k l
              As above

       < , ^B Move back one page

       > . ^F Move forward one page

       s      Save file (not valid in -x mode)

       TAB    Switch to ASCII mode

       $      Move to the end of the file

       ^      Move to the beginning of the file

       +      Jump to a specified address  (Note this address defaults to dec-
              imal, but an hex address can be entered by prefixing the  number
              with '0x', and an octal address by prefixing with '0')

       R      Restore  byte  from  last saved/initial version (not valid in -x
              mode)

       q Q ^C Quit

       1-9 a-f A-F
              Enter Hex value

       ^A     Switch between overtype/insert (not valid in -x mode)

       ^T     Switch between normal/regular expression search mode

       ^K     Switch between case sensitive/insensitive search mode

       BS DEL Cancel after first hex digit is entered

       x      Delete character at cursor (not valid in -x mode)

       /      Search.  In regular expression mode this will treat the file  as
              a  set  of  text  lines,  each line terminated with a newline or
              NULL.

       n      Search next.  Note that  this  will  perform  the  last  search,
              regardless  of  any mode change to/from regular expression mode,
              though it will take account of changes to case sensitivity.

       ^R     Redraw screen

       ASCII MODE

       Cursor keys
              Move around file

       ^H ^J ^K ^L
              As above

       ^B     Move back one page

       ^F     Move forward one page

       TAB    Switch to HEX mode

       ^A     Switch between overtype/insert (not valid in -x mode)

       ^X     Delete character at cursor (not valid in -x mode)

       ^R     Redraw screen

       ^C     Quit

ENVIRONMENT
       xed will process these environment variables if present

       XEDARG Allows default arguments to be definied in the environment.   If
              this  is  set then invoking xed will be the same as invoking xed
              $XEDARG <arglist>

SEE ALSO
       od(1) grep(1) curses(3) regexp(3)

DIAGNOSTICS
       The diagnostics produced by xed are intended to be self-explanatory.

NOTES
       Version 2.1 of xed includes these additions and fixes over 2.0 :

       o      Added missing include for unistd.h -- FreeBSD didn't mind,  cyg-
              win did.

BUGS
       o      Even  though  the  input  routine  tries it's best to mask them,
              pressing certain control keys (function keys, etc) while xed  is
              waiting for the second hex digit when editting can send a string
              of unexpected commands to xed.  This may  result  in  your  file
              being accidentally editted and saved.

       o      The  display is half-inverted and sometimes corrupts on some HP-
              UX systems.  This is a bug in their curses implementation.



                                                                        xed(1)