# dz6
A vim-inspired, TUI-based hexadecimal editor
## Features
- Fast, even when editing large files
- Runs in the terminal / Text User Interface (TUI)
- vim-like key bindings
- Configurable options
- Edit in hex or ASCII
- String list with regex filtering
- Multiple smart ways to navigate through a file
- Find strings and hex bytes
- Cross-platform
- Open source
## Screenshot
## Installation
### Rust package manager (all operating systems)
Follow the instructions [here](https://rust-lang.org/tools/install/) to install **cargo**. Then, open up
a terminal and type:
cargo install dz6
### FreeBSD
pkg install dz6
### Windows
If you have [WinGet](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/), install dz6 with:
winget install mentebinaria.dz6
Alternatively, download the [release](https://github.com/mentebinaria/dz6/releases) package for your system.
## Usage
```
Usage: dz6 [OPTIONS] <FILE>
Arguments:
<FILE> File to open
Options:
-o, --offset <OFFSET> Initial cursor offset (hex default; `t` suffix = decimal) [default: 0]
-r, --readonly Set read-only mode
-h, --help Print help
-V, --version Print version
```
Once you load a file in **dz6**, you can use the commands below.
### Global key bindings
| `Enter` | Switch views | Currently Hex and Text |
| `Alt+l` | Open log window | |
| `:` | Open command bar | See [Commands](#commands) |
#### Commands
| `<number>` | Go to offset | | hex default; `t` suffix = decimal; `+` prefix = incremental jump |
| `cmt` | Comment | `<offset>` `<comment>` | `cmt 1000 "my comment"` (offset obeys the same rules above) |
| `set byteline` | Set the number of bytes per line | `<number>` | `set byteline 8` (default is 16; range from 1 to 48) |
| `set ctrlchar` | Set the character shown in the ASCII dump for non-graphic values | `<char>` | `set ctrlchar " "` would set a blankspace (default: `.`) |
| `set db` | Turn on database file saving/loading (default) | | A database file with a `.dz6` extension will be used to store bookmarks and comments for the file |
| `set nodb` | Turn off database file saving/loading | | |
| `set dimzero` | Dim (gray out) null bytes only (default) | | |
| `set dimctrl` | Dim all control characters | | all non-graphic characters will be dimmed |
| `set nodim` | Turn off byte dimming | | |
| `set theme` | Set the theme | `dark` or `light` | `set theme light` (default: `dark`) |
| `w` | Write changes to file | | |
| `wq` or `x` | Write changes to file and quit | | |
| `q` | Quit without saving changes | | In replace mode, `T` (truncate) is an exception because it modifies the file immediately. |
If you need permanent settings, create a `$HOME/.dz6init` file containing any of the commands above, one per line. dz6 will load that at startup.
### Hex view
| Arrow keys | Navigation | vim-like `h`, `j`, `k`, `l` also work |
| `w` `d` `q` | Advance by a word (2 bytes), a dword (4 bytes), or a qword (8 bytes), respectively | Use the capital letters `W`, `D`, and `Q` to move backwards |
| `o` | Go to the next other byte (the one that differs from the byte under the cursor) | `O` goes backwards |
| `Home` or `0` | Set the cursor to the beginning of the current line | |
| `End` or `$` | Set the cursor to the end of the current line | |
| `Ctrl+Home` or `G` | Go to the first offset | |
| `Ctrl+End` or `Shift+G` | Go to the last offset in the file | |
| `Page Down` | Move down one page | A page has 1KB by default |
| `Page Up` | Move up one page | |
| `r` | Enter [replace mode](#hex-replace-mode) | |
| `z` | Enter replace mode and set the byte under the cursor zero | |
| `Ctrl+a` | Enter replace mode and increment byte under the cursor | |
| `Ctrl+x` | Enter replace mode and decrement byte under the cursor | |
| `v` | Enter [selection mode](#hex-selection-mode) | |
| `/` | Search | Search the entire file. `Tab` cycles between ASCII and hex search |
| `n` | Search next | |
| `s` | Open [Strings](#strings) window | |
| `Backspace` | Go to the previously visited offset | This is useful after a Go to command, for example |
| `+` | Add current offset to bookmarks | |
| `-` | Go to the last added bookmark | |
| `Alt+1..8` | Go to bookmark | |
| `Alt+-` | Remove the last added bookmark | The cursor must be at the bookmarked offset |
| `Alt+0` | Clear bookmarks | |
| `Alt+h` | Toggle byte highlight | |
| `;` | Add a comment to the selected offset | |
| `Ant+n` | Open [Names](#names) window. Added comments will be there. | |
| `?` | Open [Calculator](#calculator) | |
#### Hex selection mode
| Arrow keys | Navigation (left and right only) | vim-like `h`, `l` also work |
| `n` | Fill selected bytes with NOPs | This puts dz6 in replace mode; press `Enter` to save the buffer; `Esc` to cancel |
| `z` | Fill selected bytes with zeroes | Same as above |
| `y` | Copy bytes to system's clipboard | There is no paste command yet |
| `Esc` | Go back to normal mode | |
#### Hex replace mode
| Arrow keys | Navigation | |
| `Backspace` | The same as navigating left | |
| `z` | Set the byte to zero | |
| `Ctrl+a` | Increment byte | |
| `Ctrl+x` | Decrement byte | |
| `Enter` | Save changes to file | |
| `Esc` | Cancel changes | |
| `Tab` | Cycle through hex and ASCII dump to edit the file in ASCII | |
| `T` | Truncate the file at the selected offset | Be aware this can't be undone |
#### Names
| Arrow keys | Navigation | Up/Down only |
| `f` | Filter names using a regular expression | |
| `D` | Delete all names | |
| `Esc` | Close | |
| `End` | Select the last item shown | |
| `Ctrl+End` | Select the last item on the list | |
| `Home` | Select the first item shown | |
| `Ctrl+Home` | Select the first item on the list | |
| `Page Down` | Go down one page | |
| `Page Up` | Go up one page | |
| `Enter` | Follow the name in hex dump and close the window | |
#### Strings
| Arrow keys | Navigation | Up/Down only |
| `f` | Filter strings using a regular expression | |
| `R` | Re-read strings from file | Useful if you changed the file |
| `Esc` | Close | |
| `End` | Select the last item shown | |
| `Ctrl+End` | Select the last item on the list | |
| `Home` | Select the first item shown | |
| `Ctrl+Home` | Select the first item on the list | |
| `Page Down` | Go down one page | |
| `Page Up` | Go up one page | |
| `Enter` | Follow the string in hex dump and close the window | |
#### Calculator
64-bit calculator. Default base is decimal, but you can prefix hex numbers with 0x. Pre-defined variables:
| `@x` | Signed value under cursor | `x` is `b` (byte), `w` (word), `d` (dword) or `q` (qword) |
| `@X` | Unsigned value under cursor | `X` is `B` (byte), `W` (word), `D` (dword) or `Q` (qword) |
| `@o` | Current offset | dword on 32-bit systems; qword on 64 |
| `@O` | Previously visited offset | same as above |
Use the up and down arrow keys to navigate through the history.
### Text view
> This view hasn’t received much attention yet. This view still has several issues.
| `e` | Open encoding selection dialog |
## FAQ
**1. I'm on a Mac. How am I supposed to use `Alt` key?!**
iTerm2 users: go to `Settings → Profiles → (your profile) → Keys` and set the `Left Option key` to `Esc+`. This will make the `Option` key work like `Alt`.
**2. Do all vim commands work in dz6?**
No. Some key bindings behave similarly, but dz6 is not meant to be 100% compatible with vim. For example, `o` in dz6 moves to the next other byte, while the same key in vim opens a new line below the current one.
**3. Is dz6 stable yet?**
No. Stability is expected only at v1.0.0. Until then, breaking changes are expected.
## Motivation
After changing jobs and returning to Linux, I wanted something similar to [Hiew](https://hiew.io) that I could run on my machine. Since I like vim, I tried to combine features from both editors in dz6. VSCode, IDA, x64dbg, GDB, and [Hex-Patch](https://etto48.github.io/HexPatch/) also served as inspiration. Hats off to the authors of these great tools!