From: David Steuber
Subject: Binary Files
Date: 
Message-ID: <871wl1pt7c.fsf@david-steuber.com>
I have grown to really appreciate just how fast SBCL can load
homogeneous arrays of integers into an array from a file (and vice
versa) using the read-sequence and write-sequence functions.  The
performance is nice when dealing with large amounts of data.  There is
a downside though.  It is much more complicated to open up a binary
file in Emacs than a text file.

The hexlify-buffer command is nice.  But I have exceeded Emacs'
capacity.

Does anyone have any in between techniques so that data can be checked
for correctness?  I've written little test functions, but I don't
trust those either.

Thoughts anyone?

-- 
This post uses 100% post consumer electrons and 100% virgin photons.

At 2.6 miles per minute, you don't really have time to get bored.
   --- Pete Roehling on rec.motorcycles

I bump into a lot of veteran riders in my travels.
  --- David Hough: Proficient Motorcycling
From: ddd
Subject: Re: Binary Files
Date: 
Message-ID: <slrnet0u3v.735.marc@localhost.localdomain>
On 07 Feb 2007 16:13:11 -0500, David Steuber <·····@david-steuber.com> wrote:
> I have grown to really appreciate just how fast SBCL can load
> homogeneous arrays of integers into an array from a file (and vice
> versa) using the read-sequence and write-sequence functions.  The
> performance is nice when dealing with large amounts of data.  There is
> a downside though.  It is much more complicated to open up a binary
> file in Emacs than a text file.
>
> The hexlify-buffer command is nice.  But I have exceeded Emacs'
> capacity.
>
> Does anyone have any in between techniques so that data can be checked
> for correctness?  I've written little test functions, but I don't
> trust those either.
>
> Thoughts anyone?
>

hexlify-buffer relies on the "standalone" programme hexl, distributed
together with emacs.  Maybe you can try the program on the command
line to convert your files.