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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 
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 
And a question, why not use the std Jscript TextStream instead of ADO (which has to be installed)? The TextStream has exactly the same quirk when it reads high ascii.

Because TextStream doesn't let you set an explicit codepage.
Generalthanks Pin
quistiun2-Aug-07 19:32
quistiun2-Aug-07 19:32 

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