Monster Hex

current status: alpha

quick description:

A hex editor is a program that allows you to modify the underlying byte values of any file. My experience with hex editors led to a desire for certain features not available in any current hex editors. The main annoyance I've had with editors i've used is the interface between me and the values of the file i'm editing. The standard system is much too rigid and confined. The method of comparing different files to each other and viewing the different possible values of the bytes has always felt clunky and inconvenient to me.

Thus, the idea to make my own hex editor. Here are some of the main features I plan to impliment:

1. Dragable view types - In the screenshot, you can see three different view types: Ascii, Hex, and decimal. You will be able to drag them on top of each other and view them in an interleaved manner. As far as I know, this has never been seen in a hex editor before.
2. File Format templates - Create a template file that delineates the manner the bytes of a binary file should be represented, and Monster Hex will show it that way. The biggest appeal would be showing proprietary file types that have no standard viewers of their own. I have seen this feature in only two hex editors.
3. Localized disassembler - Will use a best-fit method to find the most likely opcodes of a series of bytes. The only way of viewing disassembled code with other programs is to disassemble the whole file.
4. Regular Expression search/replace - I've seen this in a couple hex editors. Allows some really powerful searching. I think it should be standard in ALL find dialog boxes.

Screenshot

A whole lot more little convenient features will also find their way into my hex editor. The first version of the hex editor will only feature part 1 of the list above. Later versions will contain more of the features listed, though.

9/02/02

The basics of selection have been implimented. Next up is the ability to open files.