= Structured Binary Data =

This page will document my thoughts and design ideas for the structured binary
data project. The project aims to address #317; a description of my overall
approach can be found on the
[https://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/project/google/gsoc2012/wtachi/46005 GSoC project page].

== Existing Tools ==

I am researching existing tools related to my project, so they can be used for inspiration.

=== [http://construct.wikispaces.com/ Construct] ===

TODO: looks promising. Also look at issues and forks.

=== [http://bindata.rubyforge.org/ BinData] ===

TODO: looks promising.

=== [http://wsgd.free.fr/index.html Wireshark Generic Dissector] ===

The length and real value of a field can depend on all previous fields and use
complex expressions. Structures can contain `if`/`while`/`continue`/`break`/…
statements.

=== Less interesting tools ===

 [https://www.wireshark.org/ Wireshark] and [http://www.tcpdump.org/ tcpdump]::
  As the Construct wiki notes, you would expect these developers to have some
  sort of DSL, but they just use C for everything. Wireshark does use ASN.1,
  Diameter, and MIDL for protocols developed with them.
 [http://kde.org/applications/utilities/okteta/ Okteta]::
  Has an XML format for simple structures, where the length of a field can
  depend on a previous value. Also has an on‐line database of structures, but
  it isn’t very popular—there are only nine submissions!
 [http://ff-extractor.sourceforge.net/ ffe]::
  Only the simplest structures.
 Other hex editors::
  [http://beye.sourceforge.net/ Beye], [http://home.gna.org/bless/ Bless], and
  [https://live.gnome.org/Ghex GHex] lack interesting features.