Binary Files

[lintz]

How can I create a binary file to look like the attached if opened in Notepad (combination of text and characters)?

I've used the below code but when I open the file in Notepad it displays the word 'TEST'.

Any suggestions?

Dim b() As Byte
Open App.Path & "\test.abc" For Binary As #1
s = "TEST"
 
    ReDim b(5) As Byte
    
    For i = 1 To Len(s)
    'Now get details
    
    b(i - 1) = Asc(Mid$(s, i, 1))
    Next
        
    
    Put #1, , b()
    Close #1

[anhn]

Actually you wrote the string "TEST " into the file so that is what you get.

Try this:

Sub Test()
    Dim i As Long
    Open "C:\!Tools\test.abc" For Binary As #1
        For i = 1 To 200
            Put #1, , CByte(Int(Rnd * 255 + 1))
        Next
    Close #1
End Sub

[Merri]

You don't make binary files to get garbage in Notepad. The reason for binary files is that you can use datatypes such as Long, Integer, Byte and others for a specific kinds of uses. Sometimes data isn't even in an easy format, instead you have to read a bit of the file according to a specification just to know how to continue reading the file correctly (for example, ID3v2 tags in MP3 files, and the MP3 files themselves - ID3v2 just has readable text in the tag and not just binary data).

A simple file could be:

• 1000 32-bit values (Long)
• These values contain a byte position to a starting point of a string.
• After the 1000 values (which take 4000 bytes) the string data begins.
• Each string ends with a character 0 (nullchar).

That would be a pretty minimal file format. Something similar was used in the first Command & Conquer series of games.

[CVMichael]

And if you want to do this for the purpose of the data not being legible, then I suggest encryption