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Reading and Writing Binary Files Using JScript

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1 Mar 2007CPOL 102.6K   12   5
An easy to use class that gives some binary file abilities to JScript.

Introduction

As I have pushed what I can do in JScript, I have come up against the issue of binary files. The following class solved this for small to medium size files. I am partly including this post here because I am about to put in a post about sending emails with attachments via JScript, and it will use this binary file code to read in the binary attachment files.

So, here is a nice way of accessing binary files from JScript. If you want to access this object from VBScript, then put it in a SWF file. This object has been used in anger to upload files to a Web Service, and has proven to be nice and fast for files in the 0-10 MB range.

JavaScript
/** This is a fairly well optimized object which alows
  * access to binary files from JScript on a Windows
  * operating system.
  *
  * A the end of the file is small set of tests to show how it
  * is used. You will require ADODB 2.5 or higher installed.
  * this will be so on most 2000 machines and all XP or higher
  * machines.
  *
  * CopyRight: Dr Alexander J Turner - all rights reserved.
  * Please feel free to use this code in any way you like
  * as long as you place a reference in the comments that
  * I wrote it.
  */
function BinaryFile(name)
{
    var adTypeBinary = 1 
    var adTypeText   = 2 
    var adSaveCreateOverWrite = 2
    // The trick - this is the 'old fassioned' not translation page
    // It lest javascript use strings to act like raw octets
    var codePage='437';
   
    this.path=name;
   
    var forward  = new Array();
    var backward = new Array();
   
    // Note - for better performance I should preconvert these hex
    // definitions to decimal - at some point :-) - AJT
    forward['80'] = '00C7';
    forward['81'] = '00FC';
    forward['82'] = '00E9';
    forward['83'] = '00E2';
    forward['84'] = '00E4';
    forward['85'] = '00E0';
    forward['86'] = '00E5';
    forward['87'] = '00E7';
    forward['88'] = '00EA';
    forward['89'] = '00EB';
    forward['8A'] = '00E8';
    forward['8B'] = '00EF';
    forward['8C'] = '00EE';
    forward['8D'] = '00EC';
    forward['8E'] = '00C4';
    forward['8F'] = '00C5';
    forward['90'] = '00C9';
    forward['91'] = '00E6';
    forward['92'] = '00C6';
    forward['93'] = '00F4';
    forward['94'] = '00F6';
    forward['95'] = '00F2';
    forward['96'] = '00FB';
    forward['97'] = '00F9';
    forward['98'] = '00FF';
    forward['99'] = '00D6';
    forward['9A'] = '00DC';
    forward['9B'] = '00A2';
    forward['9C'] = '00A3';
    forward['9D'] = '00A5';
    forward['9E'] = '20A7';
    forward['9F'] = '0192';
    forward['A0'] = '00E1';
    forward['A1'] = '00ED';
    forward['A2'] = '00F3';
    forward['A3'] = '00FA';
    forward['A4'] = '00F1';
    forward['A5'] = '00D1';
    forward['A6'] = '00AA';
    forward['A7'] = '00BA';
    forward['A8'] = '00BF';
    forward['A9'] = '2310';
    forward['AA'] = '00AC';
    forward['AB'] = '00BD';
    forward['AC'] = '00BC';
    forward['AD'] = '00A1';
    forward['AE'] = '00AB';
    forward['AF'] = '00BB';
    forward['B0'] = '2591';
    forward['B1'] = '2592';
    forward['B2'] = '2593';
    forward['B3'] = '2502';
    forward['B4'] = '2524';
    forward['B5'] = '2561';
    forward['B6'] = '2562';
    forward['B7'] = '2556';
    forward['B8'] = '2555';
    forward['B9'] = '2563';
    forward['BA'] = '2551';
    forward['BB'] = '2557';
    forward['BC'] = '255D';
    forward['BD'] = '255C';
    forward['BE'] = '255B';
    forward['BF'] = '2510';
    forward['C0'] = '2514';
    forward['C1'] = '2534';
    forward['C2'] = '252C';
    forward['C3'] = '251C';
    forward['C4'] = '2500';
    forward['C5'] = '253C';
    forward['C6'] = '255E';
    forward['C7'] = '255F';
    forward['C8'] = '255A';
    forward['C9'] = '2554';
    forward['CA'] = '2569';
    forward['CB'] = '2566';
    forward['CC'] = '2560';
    forward['CD'] = '2550';
    forward['CE'] = '256C';
    forward['CF'] = '2567';
    forward['D0'] = '2568';
    forward['D1'] = '2564';
    forward['D2'] = '2565';
    forward['D3'] = '2559';
    forward['D4'] = '2558';
    forward['D5'] = '2552';
    forward['D6'] = '2553';
    forward['D7'] = '256B';
    forward['D8'] = '256A';
    forward['D9'] = '2518';
    forward['DA'] = '250C';
    forward['DB'] = '2588';
    forward['DC'] = '2584';
    forward['DD'] = '258C';
    forward['DE'] = '2590';
    forward['DF'] = '2580';
    forward['E0'] = '03B1';
    forward['E1'] = '00DF';
    forward['E2'] = '0393';
    forward['E3'] = '03C0';
    forward['E4'] = '03A3';
    forward['E5'] = '03C3';
    forward['E6'] = '00B5';
    forward['E7'] = '03C4';
    forward['E8'] = '03A6';
    forward['E9'] = '0398';
    forward['EA'] = '03A9';
    forward['EB'] = '03B4';
    forward['EC'] = '221E';
    forward['ED'] = '03C6';
    forward['EE'] = '03B5';
    forward['EF'] = '2229';
    forward['F0'] = '2261';
    forward['F1'] = '00B1';
    forward['F2'] = '2265';
    forward['F3'] = '2264';
    forward['F4'] = '2320';
    forward['F5'] = '2321';
    forward['F6'] = '00F7';
    forward['F7'] = '2248';
    forward['F8'] = '00B0';
    forward['F9'] = '2219';
    forward['FA'] = '00B7';
    forward['FB'] = '221A';
    forward['FC'] = '207F';
    forward['FD'] = '00B2';
    forward['FE'] = '25A0';
    forward['FF'] = '00A0';
    backward['C7']   = '80';
    backward['FC']   = '81';
    backward['E9']   = '82';
    backward['E2']   = '83';
    backward['E4']   = '84';
    backward['E0']   = '85';
    backward['E5']   = '86';
    backward['E7']   = '87';
    backward['EA']   = '88';
    backward['EB']   = '89';
    backward['E8']   = '8A';
    backward['EF']   = '8B';
    backward['EE']   = '8C';
    backward['EC']   = '8D';
    backward['C4']   = '8E';
    backward['C5']   = '8F';
    backward['C9']   = '90';
    backward['E6']   = '91';
    backward['C6']   = '92';
    backward['F4']   = '93';
    backward['F6']   = '94';
    backward['F2']   = '95';
    backward['FB']   = '96';
    backward['F9']   = '97';
    backward['FF']   = '98';
    backward['D6']   = '99';
    backward['DC']   = '9A';
    backward['A2']   = '9B';
    backward['A3']   = '9C';
    backward['A5']   = '9D';
    backward['20A7'] = '9E';
    backward['192']  = '9F';
    backward['E1']   = 'A0';
    backward['ED']   = 'A1';
    backward['F3']   = 'A2';
    backward['FA']   = 'A3';
    backward['F1']   = 'A4';
    backward['D1']   = 'A5';
    backward['AA']   = 'A6';
    backward['BA']   = 'A7';
    backward['BF']   = 'A8';
    backward['2310'] = 'A9';
    backward['AC']   = 'AA';
    backward['BD']   = 'AB';
    backward['BC']   = 'AC';
    backward['A1']   = 'AD';
    backward['AB']   = 'AE';
    backward['BB']   = 'AF';
    backward['2591'] = 'B0';
    backward['2592'] = 'B1';
    backward['2593'] = 'B2';
    backward['2502'] = 'B3';
    backward['2524'] = 'B4';
    backward['2561'] = 'B5';
    backward['2562'] = 'B6';
    backward['2556'] = 'B7';
    backward['2555'] = 'B8';
    backward['2563'] = 'B9';
    backward['2551'] = 'BA';
    backward['2557'] = 'BB';
    backward['255D'] = 'BC';
    backward['255C'] = 'BD';
    backward['255B'] = 'BE';
    backward['2510'] = 'BF';
    backward['2514'] = 'C0';
    backward['2534'] = 'C1';
    backward['252C'] = 'C2';
    backward['251C'] = 'C3';          
    backward['2500'] = 'C4';
    backward['253C'] = 'C5';
    backward['255E'] = 'C6';
    backward['255F'] = 'C7';
    backward['255A'] = 'C8';
    backward['2554'] = 'C9';
    backward['2569'] = 'CA';
    backward['2566'] = 'CB';
    backward['2560'] = 'CC';
    backward['2550'] = 'CD';
    backward['256C'] = 'CE';
    backward['2567'] = 'CF';
    backward['2568'] = 'D0';
    backward['2564'] = 'D1';
    backward['2565'] = 'D2';
    backward['2559'] = 'D3';
    backward['2558'] = 'D4';
    backward['2552'] = 'D5';
    backward['2553'] = 'D6';
    backward['256B'] = 'D7';
    backward['256A'] = 'D8';
    backward['2518'] = 'D9';
    backward['250C'] = 'DA';
    backward['2588'] = 'DB';
    backward['2584'] = 'DC';
    backward['258C'] = 'DD';
    backward['2590'] = 'DE';
    backward['2580'] = 'DF';
    backward['3B1']  = 'E0';
    backward['DF']   = 'E1';
    backward['393']  = 'E2';
    backward['3C0']  = 'E3';
    backward['3A3']  = 'E4';
    backward['3C3']  = 'E5';
    backward['B5']   = 'E6';
    backward['3C4']  = 'E7';
    backward['3A6']  = 'E8';
    backward['398']  = 'E9';
    backward['3A9']  = 'EA';
    backward['3B4']  = 'EB';                                                              
    backward['221E'] = 'EC';
    backward['3C6']  = 'ED';
    backward['3B5']  = 'EE';
    backward['2229'] = 'EF';
    backward['2261'] = 'F0';
    backward['B1']   = 'F1';
    backward['2265'] = 'F2';
    backward['2264'] = 'F3';
    backward['2320'] = 'F4';
    backward['2321'] = 'F5';
    backward['F7']   = 'F6';
    backward['2248'] = 'F7';
    backward['B0']   = 'F8';
    backward['2219'] = 'F9';
    backward['B7']   = 'FA';
    backward['221A'] = 'FB';
    backward['207F'] = 'FC';
    backward['B2']   = 'FD';
    backward['25A0'] = 'FE';
    backward['A0']   = 'FF';     
   
    var hD="0123456789ABCDEF";
    this.d2h = function(d)
    {
        var h = hD.substr(d&15,1);
        while(d>15) {d>>=4;h=hD.substr(d&15,1)+h;}
        return h;
    }

    this.h2d = function(h)
    {
        return parseInt(h,16);
    }
   
    this.WriteAll = function(what)
    {
        //Create Stream object
        var BinaryStream = WScript.CreateObject("ADODB.Stream");
        //Specify stream type - we cheat and get string but 'like' binary
        BinaryStream.Type = adTypeText;
        BinaryStream.CharSet = '437';         
        //Open the stream
        BinaryStream.Open();
        // Write to the stream
        BinaryStream.WriteText(this.Forward437(what));
        // Write the string to the disk
        BinaryStream.SaveToFile(this.path, adSaveCreateOverWrite);

        // Clearn up
        BinaryStream.Close();
    }
   
    this.ReadAll  = function()
    {
        //Create Stream object - needs ADO 2.5 or heigher
        var BinaryStream = WScript.CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
        //Specify stream type - we cheat and get string but 'like' binary
        BinaryStream.Type = adTypeText;
        BinaryStream.CharSet = codePage;
        //Open the stream
        BinaryStream.Open();
        //Load the file data from disk To stream object
        BinaryStream.LoadFromFile(this.path);
        //Open the stream And get binary 'string' from the object
        var what = BinaryStream.ReadText;
        // Clean up
        BinaryStream.Close();
        return this.Backward437(what);
    }
   
    /* Convert a octet number to a code page 437 char code */
    this.Forward437 = function(inString)
    {
        var encArray = new Array();
        var tmp='';
        var i=0;
        var c=0;
        var l=inString.length;
        var cc;
        var h;
        for(;i<l;++i)
        {
            c++;
            if(c==128)
            {
                encArray.push(tmp);
                tmp='';
                c=0;
            }
            cc=inString.charCodeAt(i);
            if(cc<128)
            {
                tmp+=String.fromCharCode(cc);
            }      
            else
            {
                h=this.d2h(cc);
                h=forward[''+h];
                tmp+=String.fromCharCode(this.h2d(h));
            }
        }
        if(tmp!='')
        {
            encArray.push(tmp);
        }

        // this loop progressive concatonates the
        // array elements entil there is only one
        var ar2=new Array();
        for(;encArray.length>1;)
        {
            var l=encArray.length;
            for(var c=0;c<l;c+=2)
            {
                if(c+1==l)
                {
                    ar2.push(encArray[c]);
                }
                else
                {
                    ar2.push(''+encArray[c]+encArray[c+1]);
                }
            }
            encArray=ar2;
            ar2=new Array();
        }
        return encArray[0];
    }
    /* Convert a code page 437 char code to a octet number*/
    this.Backward437 = function(inString)
    {
        var encArray = new Array();
        var tmp='';
        var i=0;
        var c=0;
        var l=inString.length;
        var cc;
        var h;
        for(;i<l;++i)
        {
            c++;
            if(c==128)
            {
                encArray.push(tmp);
                tmp='';
                c=0;
            }
            cc=inString.charCodeAt(i);
            if(cc<128)
            {
                tmp+=String.fromCharCode(cc);
            }
            else
            {
                h=this.d2h(cc);
                h=backward[''+h];
                tmp+=String.fromCharCode(this.h2d(h));
            }
        }
        if(tmp!='')
        {
            encArray.push(tmp);
        }

        // this loop progressive concatonates the
        // array elements entil there is only one
        var ar2=new Array();
        for(;encArray.length>1;)
        {
            var l=encArray.length;
            for(var c=0;c<l;c+=2)
            {
                if(c+1==l)
                {
                    ar2.push(encArray[c]);
                }
                else
                {
                    ar2.push(''+encArray[c]+encArray[c+1]);
                }
            }
            encArray=ar2;
            ar2=new Array();
        }
        return encArray[0];
    }
   
}

// Example Code
/*
var bf0=new BinaryFile();
var crFolder = 'C:/Temp/cr'
var bf1=new BinaryFile(crFolder+"/PCDV0026.JPG");
var bf2=new BinaryFile(crFolder+"/PCDV0026_.JPG");
bf2.WriteAll(bf1.ReadAll());
*/

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Web Developer
United Kingdom United Kingdom
I am now a Software Systems Developer - Senior Principal at Micro Focus Plc. I am honoured to work in a team developing new compiler and runtime technology for Micro Focus.

My past includes a Ph.D. in computational quantum mechanics, software consultancy and several/various software development and architecture positions.

For more - see

blog: http://nerds-central.blogspot.com

twitter: http://twitter.com/alexturner

Comments and Discussions

 
Generala shorter and quicker way [modified] Pin
paulkienitz3-Jan-11 8:34
paulkienitz3-Jan-11 8:34 
I was looking around for how to access binary files in JScript under WSH, and this was the least bad approach I found, but I soon realized that you can get away with using the 1252 codepage, which doesn't requires as big a translation map, and after sleeping on it, I realized that it's cumbersome and slow to translate all the characters you've read in place. Instead what I did is leave the returned string intact, but box it in a string object that's been extended with a translation method. Like this:

// When we read a binary stream as ISO 8859-1 (Latin 1), we should get a string
// where each charCodeAt value matches the byte from the stream.  Unfortunately
// Windows won't give you Latin 1 -- when you ask for it, you get code page
// 1252, which has extra characters stuck in for byte values from 128 to 159.
// These two strings allow us to translate between the bogus Windows characters
// and the original byte values.
var bogusWindows1252chars = "\u20AC\u201A\u0192\u201E\u2026\u2020\u2021" +
                            "\u02C6\u2030\u0160\u2039\u0152\u017D" +
                            "\u2018\u2019\u201C\u201D\u2022\u2013\u2014" +
                            "\u02DC\u2122\u0161\u203A\u0153\u017E\u0178";
// No translation is necessary for characters 0x81, 0x8D, 0x8F, 0x90, or 0x9D.
var correctLatin1chars    = "\u0080\u0082\u0083\u0084\u0085\u0086\u0087" +
                            "\u0088\u0089\u008A\u008B\u008C\u008E" +
                            "\u0091\u0092\u0093\u0094\u0095\u0096\u0097" +
                            "\u0098\u0099\u009A\u009B\u009C\u009E\u009F";


// This turns a string read as codepage 1252 into a boxed string with a
// byteAt method.  We also modify the slice method to return a similar object.
function binaryString(str)
{
    var r = str ? new String(str) : new String();     // always return an object with a .length
    r.byteAt = function(index)
               {
                   // translate character back to originating Windows-1252 byte value
                   if (this.charCodeAt(index) <= 255)
                       return this.charCodeAt(index);
                   var p = bogusWindows1252chars.indexOf(this.charAt(index));
                   return correctLatin1Chars.charCodeAt(p);
               };
    r.slice  = function(start, end)
               {
                   return binaryString(this.substring(start, end));
               };
    return r;
}

// Does reverse translation from bytes back to Windows-1252 characters.  You can
// build up a string to write back to disk by concatenating a bunch of these.
function fromByte(num)
{
    var c = String.fromCharCode(num);
    var p = correctLatin1chars.indexOf(c);
    return p >= 0 ? bogusWindows1252chars.charAt(p) : c;
}


// Reads bytes from a file, returning them as a binaryString.
function binaryReadFile(path, maxLength)
{
    var binstream = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Stream");
    binstream.Type = 2 /*adTypeText*/;
    binstream.Charset = "iso-8859-1";   // actually Windows codepage 1252
    binstream.Open();
    binstream.LoadFromFile(path);
    return binaryString(binstream.ReadText(maxLength));
}


I only did the binary read, not the binary write, but it should be pretty self-evident in context. You'd probably want to expand on the fromByte function with ways to convert larger chunks, like methods to produce big-endian ints and UTF8 strings and whatever else goes into the format you're writing, so you don't have to concatenate everything up one byte at a time.

That's a lot shorter, isn't it? Probably quicker too, at least if you're not re-accessing the same bytes multiple times. It's certainly quicker for the particular use that I put it to, which was to read MP3 files and extract some of their ID3 tags. In that case, you just do an indexOf (with sanity checks) to find the tag, and then only a relatively small number of characters need to be translated accurately into bytes.

If large reads and writes need to be done with faster translation, the mappings could be cached into lookup arrays. Then byteAt and fromByte become very short and fast. You'd just need an initialization loop to populate them from the bogusWindows1252chars and correctLatin1chars strings.

modified on Monday, January 3, 2011 4:18 PM

GeneralDumb question Pin
Member 358656422-May-10 15:50
Member 358656422-May-10 15:50 
GeneralSave a lot of time Pin
wvd_vegt4-Nov-09 4:55
professionalwvd_vegt4-Nov-09 4:55 
GeneralRe: Save a lot of time Pin
paulkienitz3-Jan-11 8:48
paulkienitz3-Jan-11 8:48 
Generalthanks Pin
quistiun2-Aug-07 19:32
quistiun2-Aug-07 19:32 

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