MS-Edit - Revision history

NKF: Added note that MS-Edit is no longer packaged in later iterations of Windows

2017-03-11T22:40:28Z

Added note that MS-Edit is no longer packaged in later iterations of Windows

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:40, 11 March 2017
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			==Overview==

	MS-Edit is an old simple text editor that was introduced as an offshoot of the QBasic IDE (integrated development environment) that was bundled with the tools in MS-Dos 6.0. In fact, MS-Edit was Qbasic but run with a separate switch so that only its plain text editor was available. As of version 2.0.026, MS-Edit was no longer tied to Qbasic and became its own separate program and came with various improvements.		MS-Edit is an old simple text editor that was introduced as an offshoot of the QBasic IDE (integrated development environment) that was bundled with the tools in MS-Dos 6.0. In fact, MS-Edit was Qbasic but run with a separate switch so that only its plain text editor was available. As of version 2.0.026, MS-Edit was no longer tied to Qbasic and became its own separate program and came with various improvements.

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	Though unorthodox, particularly with entering the offsets, it's easy to master and is prepackaged with a lot of the legacy programs that come with many versions from Windows 95 to XP.		Though unorthodox, particularly with entering the offsets, it's easy to master and is prepackaged with a lot of the legacy programs that come with many versions from Windows 95 to XP.

			'''Note:''' Later iterations of Windows after XP such as Windows 8 and Windows 10 no longer come packaged with MS-EDIT.


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	Understanding how to work with hexadecimal and decimal is also vital for working with any data values greater than 255. That is a different subject entirely however.		Understanding how to work with hexadecimal and decimal is also vital for working with any data values greater than 255. That is a different subject entirely however.

	=== Cautions ==		== Cautions ==

	~~<b>~~WARNING:~~</b>~~ When you first start to edit, hit the Insert key <b>once</b> to get the big block cursor. This puts you in Overwrite mode instead of Insert mode (the small underline cursor). Be VERY CAREFUL about hitting the Insert key again. Insert mode is a Very Bad Thing~~<i>(tm)</i>~~ for binary files. Inserting a byte moves every subsequent byte over by one, thus nuking position-based files (i.e., most XCOM files).		'''WARNING:''' When you first start to edit, hit the Insert key <b>once</b> to get the big block cursor. This puts you in Overwrite mode instead of Insert mode (the small underline cursor). Be VERY CAREFUL about hitting the Insert key again. Insert mode is a Very Bad Thing™ for binary files. Inserting a byte moves every subsequent byte over by one, thus nuking position-based files (i.e., most XCOM files).

	[[Image:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.gif\|thumb\|right\|300px\|DOS Characters in MS-Edit]]		[[Image:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.gif\|thumb\|right\|300px\|DOS Characters in MS-Edit]]
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	== Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit ==		== Fixing the X-COM UFO (1994) Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit ==

	In addition to general editing of game files for fun and in-game profit, MS-Edit can be used for the important task of fixing the difficulty bug that plague the dos version of X-Com Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense.		In addition to general editing of game files for fun and in-game profit, MS-Edit can be used for the important task of fixing the difficulty bug that plague the dos version of [[XCOM\|X-Com Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense (1994)]].

	Normally this is fixed with [[XComUtil]], fixing the difficulty bug yourself will allow you to keep the game as unaltered as possible.		Normally this is fixed with [[XComUtil]], fixing the difficulty bug yourself will allow you to keep the game as unaltered as possible.

Hobbes: categorizing

2013-07-23T03:30:06Z

categorizing

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:30, 23 July 2013
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	==See Also==		==See Also==
	*[[Game_Files]]		*[[Game_Files]]

			[[Category:Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense]]

NKF: /* Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit */

2012-08-18T23:35:03Z

Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:35, 18 August 2012
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	'''File > Save''' and finish up with '''File > Exit'''		'''File > Save''' and finish up with '''File > Exit'''

	And you're done. Launch the game and enjoy it on the proper difficulty levels.		And you're done. Launch the game and enjoy it on the proper difficulty levels. Note that only new games will be affected. Any saves made prior to the fix will retain their original difficulty.

	==See Also==		==See Also==
	*[[Game_Files]]		*[[Game_Files]]

NKF at 23:33, 18 August 2012

2012-08-18T23:33:37Z

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 == Editing ==
-* The "Col" and "Value" info along the bottom bar show you the current byte column you're in, and its value.
-* Many folks talk about byte positions using <i>offsets</i> (starts at 0, and is indicated by [square brackets]) whereas EDIT does not (starts with column 1). If the values don't seem to be jiving, try looking one column to the right (or left!).
+=== Finding your way around ===
-* <b>WARNING:</b> When you first start to edit, hit the Insert key <b>once</b> to get the big block cursor. This puts you in Overwrite mode instead of Insert mode (the small underline cursor). Be VERY CAREFUL about hitting the Insert key again. Insert mode is a Very Bad Thing<i>(tm)</i> for binary files. Inserting a byte moves every subsequent byte over by one, thus nuking position-based files (i.e., most XCOM files).
 [[Image:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.gif|thumb|right|300px|DOS Characters in MS-Edit]]
-* Make a copy of the file if you're unsure of what you're doing. EDIT prompts you about making a .BAK backup file when you save edits, which is a nice convenience.
+Likewise, be VERY CAREFUL about hitting keys like Delete, Backspace, or Enter. All these (and more!) mess with byte positions in the file. If you attempt to run the game with all the expected offsets being changed, you will cause it to crash or even dosome unpredictable damage.
 == Entering Data ==
@@ Line 43: / Line 73: @@
 * A handy lookup table for numbers versus characters can be found as a .GIF (see right) or the same thing in a .PDF [[Media:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.pdf|here]]
 * If you see that your number makes a "regular" character (e.g. 65=A), you can also simply type in that character. However, the space character (number 32) looks just like a null character (number 0); don't use a space to mean zero!
@@ Line 79: / Line 110: @@
 ----
 The next step is to locate the affected byte and alter it. Refer to the bottom right corner of the screen for the Row, Column and Value information.
 Use the Page Up, Page Down and cursor keys to change the cursor so that the row and column values match the following. Pick the one appropriate to your version of the game.

NKF at 22:57, 18 August 2012

2012-08-18T22:57:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:57, 18 August 2012
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	MS-Edit is an old simple text editor that was introduced as an offshoot of the QBasic IDE (integrated development environment) that ~~came~~ bundled with ~~some of~~ the tools in MS-Dos 6.0. In fact, MS-Edit was Qbasic but run with a separate switch so that only its plain text ~~editing abilities were~~ available. As of version 2.0.026, MS-Edit was no longer tied to Qbasic and ~~was~~ its own separate program and came with various improvements.		MS-Edit is an old simple text editor that was introduced as an offshoot of the QBasic IDE (integrated development environment) that was bundled with the tools in MS-Dos 6.0. In fact, MS-Edit was Qbasic but run with a separate switch so that only its plain text editor was available. As of version 2.0.026, MS-Edit was no longer tied to Qbasic and became its own separate program and came with various improvements.

	One of the improvements that it gained was the ability to read and write binary files at varying line widths. ~~This allows you to use~~ MS-Edit to open ~~binary~~ files as ~~tables of information~~. ~~This doesn't work~~ with ~~binary~~ files ~~that have varying structures of information~~ such as ~~the executables. In such a case, you can open files with line widths of~~ 100 and use decimal file offsets (offset by 1) to get to the part of the file you wish to work on.		One of the improvements that it gained was the ability to read and write binary files of up to 2 megabytes in size.

			The binary files are opened at varying line widths. For files that simply contain series of similar data, setting MS-Edit to open them at the correct line width will allow you open these files to view them as a table.

			For files with mixed data, the files can be opened at line width such as 100 and use decimal file offsets (offset by 1) to get to the part of the file you wish to work on.

	Though unorthodox, particularly with entering the offsets, it's easy to master and is prepackaged with a lot of the legacy programs that come with many versions from Windows 95 to XP.		Though unorthodox, particularly with entering the offsets, it's easy to master and is prepackaged with a lot of the legacy programs that come with many versions from Windows 95 to XP.
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	== To use it ==		== To use it ==

	* /Start /Run then type '''EDIT'''. Alternatively, navigate to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt, then type '''EDIT'''. If you use this tool ~~<b>a lot</b>~~ for editing, you can make a shortcut to it and place it on your desktop or start menu for easy access.		* /Start /Run then type '''EDIT'''. Alternatively, navigate to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt, then type '''EDIT'''. If you frequently use this tool for editing, you can make a shortcut to it and place it on your desktop or start menu for easy access.
	**If you want MS-Edit to display the maximum number of horizontal lines as your hardware is capable of, ~~type~~ '''EDIT /H''' ~~instead~~.		**If you want MS-Edit to display the maximum number of horizontal lines as your hardware is capable of, run it by typing '''EDIT /H'''.
	* Point to the game file of interest. This DOS tool uses ~~some old~~ established ~~directroy~~ conventions such as the two periods (..) at the top of the Directory list. This moves you up one directory level. Use Help (F1) for more info.		* Point to the game file of interest. This DOS tool uses common established directory conventions such as the two periods (..) at the top of the Directory list. This moves you up one directory level. Use Help (F1) for more info.
	* Once you've highlighted the file of interest, checkmark "Open Binary"		* Once you've highlighted the file of interest, checkmark "Open Binary"
	* If you know the record length for your file of interest, enter it on "Line Width". For example, SOLDIER.DAT has record lengths of 68. This causes file entries to "line up" and makes patterns obvious like a spreadsheet.		* If you know the record length for your file of interest, enter it in "Line Width". For example, SOLDIER.DAT has record lengths of 68. This causes file entries to "line up" and makes patterns obvious like a spreadsheet.
	* If you're new to hacking, ~~checkmark~~ "Open Read-Only"~~. This prevents~~ you ~~from making changes~~.		* If you're new to hacking, set the "Open Read-Only" field so that you cannot accidentally save over the file by mistake.


	== Editing ==		== Editing ==
	* The "Col" and "Value" info along the bottom bar show you the current byte column you're in, and its value~~. Use this when comparing your file against e.g. the [[SOLDIER.DAT]] and [[UNITREF.DAT]] wiki entries~~.		* The "Col" and "Value" info along the bottom bar show you the current byte column you're in, and its value.
	* Many folks talk about byte positions using <i>offsets</i> (starts at 0, and is indicated by [square brackets]) whereas EDIT does not (starts with column 1). If the values don't seem to be jiving, try looking one column to the right (or left!).		* Many folks talk about byte positions using <i>offsets</i> (starts at 0, and is indicated by [square brackets]) whereas EDIT does not (starts with column 1). If the values don't seem to be jiving, try looking one column to the right (or left!).
	* <b>WARNING:</b> When you first start to edit, hit the Insert key <b>once</b> to get the big block cursor. This puts you in Overwrite mode instead of Insert mode (the small underline cursor). Be VERY CAREFUL about hitting the Insert key again. Insert mode is a Very Bad Thing<i>(tm)</i> for binary files. Inserting a byte moves every subsequent byte over by one, thus nuking position-based files (i.e., most XCOM files). ~~If your game has gone south and you're SOL though, you might give it a shot... you never know what might happen!~~[[Image:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.gif\|thumb\|right\|300px\|DOS Characters in MS-Edit]]		* <b>WARNING:</b> When you first start to edit, hit the Insert key <b>once</b> to get the big block cursor. This puts you in Overwrite mode instead of Insert mode (the small underline cursor). Be VERY CAREFUL about hitting the Insert key again. Insert mode is a Very Bad Thing<i>(tm)</i> for binary files. Inserting a byte moves every subsequent byte over by one, thus nuking position-based files (i.e., most XCOM files).
	* Likewise, be VERY CAREFUL about hitting keys like Delete, Backspace, or Enter. All these (and more!) mess with positionality. If you ever see that records aren't lining up, Close without saving!!
			[[Image:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.gif\|thumb\|right\|300px\|DOS Characters in MS-Edit]]
			* Likewise, be VERY CAREFUL about hitting keys like Delete, Backspace, or Enter. All these (and more!) mess with positionality. If you ever see that records aren't lining up, Close without saving!

			* Make a copy of the file if you're unsure of what you're doing. EDIT prompts you about making a .BAK backup file when you save edits, which is a nice convenience.

			== Entering Data ==

	* To enter numeric values into a byte:		* To enter numeric values into a byte:
	** Hold down an Alt key (either one)		** Hold down an Alt key (either one)
	** Using the NUMERIC KEYPAD (the numbers on right side of keyboard, not the ones along the top of keyboard), type in the number you want to enter. It doesn't matter if Numlock is on or off.		** Using the NUMERIC KEYPAD (the numbers on right side of keyboard, not the ones along the top of keyboard), type in the number you want to enter. It doesn't matter if Numlock is on or off.
	** Let go of the Alt key. In the case where your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad such as a laptop, you must press the function (Fn) key along with ALT in order to enter these values.		** Let go of the Alt key. In the case where your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad such as a laptop, you must press the function (Fn) key along with ALT in order to enter these values.
	** The number will now be entered. ~~However, for~~ values less than 28, you have to go through special ~~gyrations (these were "control characters" for DOS)~~. First, hit Control-P (^P). Then:		** The number will now be entered.
	*** For 0, hit ^2 (don't ask why)		*** One small fault in MS-Edit is that it cannot enter values less than 28 this way. To enter them, you have to go through special MS-Edit only key sequences. First, hit Control-P (^P). Then:
	*** For 1-26, hit ^A to ^Z. For example, ^A is 1, ^M is 13, ^Z is 26.		**** For 0, hit ^2 (don't ask why)
	*** For 27, hit ^[		**** For 1-26, hit ^A to ^Z. For example, ^A is 1, ^M is 13, ^Z is 26.
			**** For 27, hit ^[
	* A handy lookup table for numbers versus characters can be found as a .GIF (see right) or the same thing in a .PDF [[Media:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.pdf\|here]]		* A handy lookup table for numbers versus characters can be found as a .GIF (see right) or the same thing in a .PDF [[Media:DOS_Chars_In_MsEdit.pdf\|here]]
	* If you see that your number makes a "regular" character (e.g. 65=A), you can also simply type in that character. However, the space character (number 32) looks just like a null character (number 0); don't use a space to mean zero!		* If you see that your number makes a "regular" character (e.g. 65=A), you can also simply type in that character. However, the space character (number 32) looks just like a null character (number 0); don't use a space to mean zero!
	* Make a copy of the file if you're unsure of what you're doing. EDIT prompts you about making a .BAK backup file when you save edits, which is a nice convenience.


	== Misc Notes ==		== Misc Notes ==

	* Some ~~savegame~~ files store 'rubbish' in a field that's not being used. For example, not all soldier and alien names are 25 characters long (26 including the null byte, value 00, that shows where it ends). You'll usually find rubbish stored in the columns past the name end. It can be the remains of old (longer) names, or ~~might even be e.g. random Windows crap~~ that was in that position in RAM when the file was last in memory. Garbage characters may ~~also~~ show up in ~~e.g.~~ fields that ~~an alien doesn~~'~~t use (but soldiers do)~~. Don't worry about them.~~.. if~~ there's no reason for the game to use them, they're meaningless.		Some save files store 'rubbish' in a field that's not being used. For example, not all soldier and alien names are 25 characters long (26 including the null byte, value 00, that shows where it ends). You'll usually find rubbish stored in the columns past the name end. It can be the remains of old (longer) names, or more worryingly anything that was in that particular position of RAM when the file was last in memory. Garbage characters may show up in fields that's not being used. Don't worry about them. If there's no reason for the game to use them, they're meaningless.
	* If you have a file open in EDIT, it is not locked by the system. You can keep the file open indefinitely even when the game is running and nothing strange will happen. Just make sure to save your changes so that they show up. In the case if the executable, it is always best to save and restart.
			If you have a file open in EDIT, it is not locked by the system. You can keep the file open indefinitely even when the game is running and nothing strange will happen. Just make sure to save your changes so that they show up. In the case if the executable, it is always best to save and restart.


	== Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit ==		== Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit ==

	~~To use~~ MS-Edit ~~to fix~~ the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense~~/Enemy Unknown follow~~ these easy steps:		In addition to general editing of game files for fun and in-game profit, MS-Edit can be used for the important task of fixing the difficulty bug that plague the dos version of X-Com Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense.

			Normally this is fixed with [[XComUtil]], fixing the difficulty bug yourself will allow you to keep the game as unaltered as possible.

			Follow these easy steps to use MS-Edit to fix the bug:

	'''Step 0'''		'''Step 0'''
	----		----
	~~Before anything else~~, as a safety precaution, make a backup copy of the '''ufoexe\geoscape.ex'''e file in your game folder.		As with any editing operation, as a safety precaution, make a backup copy of the '''ufoexe\geoscape.exe''' file in your game folder before you start.

NKF: /* Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit */

2012-07-19T09:51:48Z

Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:51, 19 July 2012
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	To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:		To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:

	'''Step 0''		'''Step 0'''
			----
			Before anything else, as a safety precaution, make a backup copy of the '''ufoexe\geoscape.ex'''e file in your game folder.

	~~Before anything else, as a safety precaution, make a backup copy of the '''ufoexe\geoscape.ex'''e file in your game folder.~~

	'''Step 1'''		'''Step 1'''

NKF: y

2012-07-19T09:50:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:50, 19 July 2012
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	== Fixing the ~~Difficult~~ Bug with MS-Edit ==		== Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit ==

	To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:		To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:

NKF: /* Fixing the Difficult Bug with MS-Edit */ Backup first!

2012-07-19T09:49:46Z

Fixing the Difficult Bug with MS-Edit: Backup first!

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:49, 19 July 2012
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	To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:		To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:

			'''Step 0''

			Before anything else, as a safety precaution, make a backup copy of the '''ufoexe\geoscape.ex'''e file in your game folder.

	'''Step 1'''		'''Step 1'''
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	'''File > Save''' and finish up with '''File > Exit'''		'''File > Save''' and finish up with '''File > Exit'''

	And you're done. Launch the game and enjoy it on the proper difficulty levels.		And you're done. Launch the game and enjoy it on the proper difficulty levels.

	==See Also==		==See Also==
	*[[Game_Files]]		*[[Game_Files]]

NKF: added Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit

2012-07-19T09:47:29Z

added Fixing the Difficulty Bug with MS-Edit

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
-== Alternatives ==
+== Fixing the Difficult Bug with MS-Edit ==
-Another hex editor that some folks use is Hex Workshop by [http://www.bpsoft.com www.BPSoft.com]. Hex Workshop has the nice feature that you can make a 'structure library' with the meaning (field name) of each byte, turning the file into a little database. You will see some of these definitions (.HSLs) in the game file wikis. Hex Workshop is free for 30 days and then costs $50 if you want to keep using it. While it has a number of nice features, it does have some drawbacks. Examples: 1) Its display field can't be more than 64 characters wide (unlike EDIT), so you can't do a "one row equals one record" display for e.g. SOLDIER.DAT (reclength 68) or UNITREF.DAT (reclength 124). Related to this, 2) although it's a "modern" Windows app, you can't e.g. go to some tiny font and see a lot more in your data display window (even though you probably have 1600x1200 screen rez as a L33T gamer).
+To use MS-Edit to fix the difficulty bug in X-Com UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown follow these easy steps:
-If you're on a budget, EDIT is a fine little tool. I, for one, once used Hex Workshop, but now exclusively use EDIT.
+Note that many CD-ROM versions of the the game are v1.4 by default. The dos portion of the Steam release is 1.4.
-'''NOTE:''' To make screen captures, see [[Info#Screenshots|this]].
+If it's showing an '''@''' symbol and a value of '''64''' - then your bug is fixed and you don't need to do anything further.
 ----
-Another VERY useful hex editing program is the Universal Game Editor (UGE). It is a hex editor which displays numbers in digits instead of hex codes. It uses templates that can store variables found in the game files, so that they can be easily edited (including variables with 1, 2, or 4 bytes, or text entries).
+Press '''Insert''' to switch your cursor to the block cursor.
 ----
-Mikael 'Fluff' Klasson makes [http://mklasson.com/hexit.php HexIt], a very powerful hex editor that includes a dissassembler. Useful for guessing what the game engine is trying to do and deducing game mechanics (or bugs). HexIt is freeware, though there is a suggested donation if you find it useful.
+'''File &gt; Save''' and finish up with '''File &gt; Exit'''
 ==See Also==
 *[[Game_Files]]

NKF: Added brief introductory blurb to top of page

2009-08-24T08:03:05Z

Added brief introductory blurb to top of page

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:03, 24 August 2009
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	~~Windows comes~~ with the ~~simple~~ but ~~effective EDIT hex editor~~. To use it:		MS-Edit is an old simple text editor that was introduced as an offshoot of the QBasic IDE (integrated development environment) that came bundled with some of the tools in MS-Dos 6.0. In fact, MS-Edit was Qbasic but run with a separate switch so that only its plain text editing abilities were available. As of version 2.0.026, MS-Edit was no longer tied to Qbasic and was its own separate program and came with various improvements.

			One of the improvements that it gained was the ability to read and write binary files at varying line widths. This allows you to use MS-Edit to open binary files as tables of information. This doesn't work with binary files that have varying structures of information such as the executables. In such a case, you can open files with line widths of 100 and use decimal file offsets (offset by 1) to get to the part of the file you wish to work on.

			Though unorthodox, particularly with entering the offsets, it's easy to master and is prepackaged with a lot of the legacy programs that come with many versions from Windows 95 to XP.


			== To use it ==

	* /Start /Run then type '''EDIT'''. Alternatively, navigate to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt, then type '''EDIT'''. If you use this tool <b>a lot</b> for editing, you can make a shortcut to it and place it on your desktop or start menu for easy access.		* /Start /Run then type '''EDIT'''. Alternatively, navigate to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> Command Prompt, then type '''EDIT'''. If you use this tool <b>a lot</b> for editing, you can make a shortcut to it and place it on your desktop or start menu for easy access.
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	Editing:		== Editing ==
	* The "Col" and "Value" info along the bottom bar show you the current byte column you're in, and its value. Use this when comparing your file against e.g. the [[SOLDIER.DAT]] and [[UNITREF.DAT]] wiki entries.		* The "Col" and "Value" info along the bottom bar show you the current byte column you're in, and its value. Use this when comparing your file against e.g. the [[SOLDIER.DAT]] and [[UNITREF.DAT]] wiki entries.
	* Many folks talk about byte positions using <i>offsets</i> (starts at 0, and is indicated by [square brackets]) whereas EDIT does not (starts with column 1). If the values don't seem to be jiving, try looking one column to the right (or left!).		* Many folks talk about byte positions using <i>offsets</i> (starts at 0, and is indicated by [square brackets]) whereas EDIT does not (starts with column 1). If the values don't seem to be jiving, try looking one column to the right (or left!).
Line 27:		Line 34:


	~~Also:~~		== Misc Notes ==

	* Some savegame files store 'rubbish' in a field that's not being used. For example, not all soldier and alien names are 25 characters long (26 including the null byte, value 00, that shows where it ends). You'll usually find rubbish stored in the columns past the name end. It can be the remains of old (longer) names, or might even be e.g. random Windows crap that was in that position in RAM when the file was last in memory. Garbage characters may also show up in e.g. fields that an alien doesn't use (but soldiers do). Don't worry about them... if there's no reason for the game to use them, they're meaningless.		* Some savegame files store 'rubbish' in a field that's not being used. For example, not all soldier and alien names are 25 characters long (26 including the null byte, value 00, that shows where it ends). You'll usually find rubbish stored in the columns past the name end. It can be the remains of old (longer) names, or might even be e.g. random Windows crap that was in that position in RAM when the file was last in memory. Garbage characters may also show up in e.g. fields that an alien doesn't use (but soldiers do). Don't worry about them... if there's no reason for the game to use them, they're meaningless.
	* If you have a file open in EDIT, it is not locked by the system. You can keep the file open indefinitely even when the game is running and nothing strange will happen. Just make sure to save your changes so that they show up. In the case if the executable, it is always best to save and restart.		* If you have a file open in EDIT, it is not locked by the system. You can keep the file open indefinitely even when the game is running and nothing strange will happen. Just make sure to save your changes so that they show up. In the case if the executable, it is always best to save and restart.


			== Alternatives ==

	Another hex editor that some folks use is Hex Workshop by [http://www.bpsoft.com www.BPSoft.com]. Hex Workshop has the nice feature that you can make a 'structure library' with the meaning (field name) of each byte, turning the file into a little database. You will see some of these definitions (.HSLs) in the game file wikis. Hex Workshop is free for 30 days and then costs $50 if you want to keep using it. While it has a number of nice features, it does have some drawbacks. Examples: 1) Its display field can't be more than 64 characters wide (unlike EDIT), so you can't do a "one row equals one record" display for e.g. SOLDIER.DAT (reclength 68) or UNITREF.DAT (reclength 124). Related to this, 2) although it's a "modern" Windows app, you can't e.g. go to some tiny font and see a lot more in your data display window (even though you probably have 1600x1200 screen rez as a L33T gamer).		Another hex editor that some folks use is Hex Workshop by [http://www.bpsoft.com www.BPSoft.com]. Hex Workshop has the nice feature that you can make a 'structure library' with the meaning (field name) of each byte, turning the file into a little database. You will see some of these definitions (.HSLs) in the game file wikis. Hex Workshop is free for 30 days and then costs $50 if you want to keep using it. While it has a number of nice features, it does have some drawbacks. Examples: 1) Its display field can't be more than 64 characters wide (unlike EDIT), so you can't do a "one row equals one record" display for e.g. SOLDIER.DAT (reclength 68) or UNITREF.DAT (reclength 124). Related to this, 2) although it's a "modern" Windows app, you can't e.g. go to some tiny font and see a lot more in your data display window (even though you probably have 1600x1200 screen rez as a L33T gamer).