From: ChrisH <chris.hulan@...>
Date: 2006-07-19T00:15:10+09:00
Subject: Re: How can I parse binary files?

Fabio Vitale wrote:
...
> This now generates:
>
> >ruby b.rb
> #<MRKHeader version=1, uid_Validity=1106138982, uid_next=5825,
> last_write_counter=9872, unused="">
> #<MRKMessage
> filename="\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\000\r\nmd5",
> flags=48, uid=808464432, msg_size=942814256, date=1936535094>
> #<MRKMessage
> filename="g\000\000\000\000\000\00006\020\000\000\374P\000\000k\353\246Cmd5",
> flags=48, uid=808464432, msg_size=858993712, date=1936535091>
> #<MRKMessage filename="g\000\000\000\000\000\000
> e\020\000\000\334\226\003\000X\373\253Cmd5", flags=48, uid=808464432,
> msg_size=858993712, date=1936535092>
...

Looks like you need to investigate #unpack.

In any case, Ruby Facets has a BinaryReader mixin
(http://facets.rubyforge.org/api/more/classes/BinaryReader.html) that
does the reading and upacking for you. Just mix it into File (or a
subclass of File) and you should be good to go...

Cheers
Chris