GNU bug report logs - #79992
30.2; feature request: change readability in hexl-mode or nhexl-mode

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Package: emacs; Severity: wishlist; Reported by: Jeremy Bryant <jb@HIDDEN>; merged with #79991; dated Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:58:02 UTC; Maintainer for emacs is bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN.
Merged 79991 79992. Request was from Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN> to control <at> debbugs.gnu.org. Full text available.

Message received at 79992 <at> debbugs.gnu.org:


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Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:36:35 +0200
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From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN>
To: Jeremy Bryant <jb@HIDDEN>
In-Reply-To: <87v7icpqxy.fsf@HIDDEN> (bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN)
Subject: Re: bug#79992: 30.2;
 feature request:  change readability in hexl-mode or nhexl-mode
References: <87v7icpqxy.fsf@HIDDEN>
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merge 79992 79991
severity 79992 wishlist
thanks

> Cc: Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
> Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:57:29 +0000
> From:  Jeremy Bryant via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN>
> 
> A hex dump typically has 16 bytes on the left one side, displayed as
> characters on the right like this:-
> 
> 00000000: 656d 6163 7366 6561 7475 7265 7265 7175  emacsfeaturerequ
> 
> 
> But there are also other typical conventions as below.
> Could we add the ability have a space in the middle, like this:-
> 
> 00000000: 656d 6163 7366 6561  7475 7265 7265 7175  emacsfea turerequ
> 
> And the spaces for each, like so:-
> 00000000: 65 6d 61 63 73 66 65 61 74 75 72 65 72 65 71 75  emacsfea urerequ
> 
> 
> Maybe this is possible already, maybe a patch could be prototyped, where
> to start?

This seems to be the missing part of bug#79991, so I'm merging them.

As to the feature request itself: patches are welcome, as always, but
please note that "there be dragons": the relevant modes AFAIR assume a
specific format, and there will be a need for a lot of refactoring to
adapt them to such changes.

Some of what you ask is already possible, see hexl-bits,
nhexl-line-width, and nhexl-group-size.




Information forwarded to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:
bug#79992; Package emacs. Full text available.

Message received at 79992 <at> debbugs.gnu.org:


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From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
To: Jeremy Bryant <jb@HIDDEN>
Subject: Re: bug#79992: 30.2; feature request:  change readability in
 hexl-mode or nhexl-mode
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> Could we add the ability have a space in the middle, like this:-
> 00000000: 656d 6163 7366 6561  7475 7265 7265 7175  emacsfea turerequ

For nhexl-mode, it shouldn't be too hard: just add a "pseudo" space via
something like an `after-string`, like we add "pseudo newlines".
IOW, in the main loop of `nhexl--jit`, create a new overlay for each
segment, placed in the middle, with a " " on its `after-string` property.
Just make sure you don't do that if `nhexl-separate-line` is non-nil.

> And the spaces for each, like so:-
> 00000000: 65 6d 61 63 73 66 65 61 74 75 72 65 72 65 71 75  emacsfea urerequ

I think you're looking for `hexl-bits` (or `nhexl-group-size` whose
value defaults to one computed from `hexl-bits`).


        Stefan





Information forwarded to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:
bug#79992; Package emacs. Full text available.

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Subject: 30.2; feature request:  change readability in hexl-mode or nhexl-mode
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A hex dump typically has 16 bytes on the left one side, displayed as
characters on the right like this:-

00000000: 656d 6163 7366 6561 7475 7265 7265 7175  emacsfeaturerequ


But there are also other typical conventions as below.
Could we add the ability have a space in the middle, like this:-

00000000: 656d 6163 7366 6561  7475 7265 7265 7175  emacsfea turerequ

And the spaces for each, like so:-
00000000: 65 6d 61 63 73 66 65 61 74 75 72 65 72 65 71 75  emacsfea urerequ


Maybe this is possible already, maybe a patch could be prototyped, where
to start?






Acknowledgement sent to Jeremy Bryant <jb@HIDDEN>:
New bug report received and forwarded. Copy sent to monnier@HIDDEN, bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN. Full text available.
Report forwarded to monnier@HIDDEN, bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:
bug#79992; Package emacs. Full text available.
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