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cgreenwood

201 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 9


#208363 8-Feb-2017 16:36
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Hi all

 

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this sort of thing?

 

I work with some instruments that need to be updated with reference data from time to time. The instrument is controlled from a Windows 7 PC and the reference data comes from the overseas manufacturer in a file in a proprietary format (.qxn). The following link is an example of such a file

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/61363055/63611101.qxn

 

I would like to be able to open the file, change some of the data and re-save in the same format so the instrument can be updated with my own data.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction of where to start with this? Have tried the obvious newbie things like trying to open with Excel, Word, notepad etc etc with no luck. Is there a program or application that might help me access the data in these files?

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

 


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sidefx
3775 posts

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+1 received by user: 1295

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  #1717340 8-Feb-2017 18:57
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Yup, Hex editor is your best bet if there's no documentation available from manufacturer.  I used to do similar with game files (terrain\saved game files\etc for modding)  

 

Your best bet is to get or create a bunch of different files with minor but known differences if possible Then open them in a hex editor, then start comparing them to figure out how the data is stored and how to find the appropriate values to change... be warned though, it's a tedious process, requires a decent understanding of different ways data can be encoded, and yeah as above it can be further complicated if the files (or even parts of the files) are compressed in some way.





"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there."         | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
              - Richard Feynman


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