XnView Software

Hex mode (i.e. opening a file in hexadezimal view) is a nice thing, but I'm pretty sure that 99.99 percent of the XnView users have no use for it. I wonder whether it should be even turned off by default. Turned off means that there is no menu item "View in Hex mode" or "Open in Hex mode".

Normally, a program should show the user what it can do for him/her, but I think Hex mode is not useful for most users. Those 0.01 percent of people which do open files in Hex use a decent Hex viewer or Hex editor - not XnView.

helmut wrote:Hex mode (i.e. opening a file in hexadezimal view) is a nice thing, but I'm pretty sure that 99.99 percent of the XnView users have no use for it. I wonder whether it should be even turned off by default. Turned off means that there is no menu item "View in Hex mode" or "Open in Hex mode".

Normally, a program should show the user what it can do for him/her, but I think Hex mode is not useful for most users. Those 0.01 percent of people which do open files in Hex use a decent Hex viewer or Hex editor - not XnView.

I disagree, i think that it's good to have it

xnview wrote:

helmut wrote:Hex mode (i.e. opening a file in hexadezimal view) is a nice thing, but I'm pretty sure that 99.99 percent of the XnView users have no use for it. I wonder whether it should be even turned off by default. Turned off means that there is no menu item "View in Hex mode" or "Open in Hex mode".

Normally, a program should show the user what it can do for him/her, but I think Hex mode is not useful for most users. Those 0.01 percent of people which do open files in Hex use a decent Hex viewer or Hex editor - not XnView.

I disagree, i think that it's good to have it

What is Hex mode in XnView good for? In the years that I've been using XnView I've never used it. And I'm pretty sure that most people have no use for it either.

• Hi !

…And I'm pretty sure that most people have no use for it either. …

… and you are right ! For many years I use XnView, I displayed hexa maybe once ? Twice? And especially because the option was checked by default in very old versions !
- If I need really a hexa view, I go in Total Commander and use the Lister for this…

G.
Claude
Clo

I use the hex view to check unknown files. If theres a file what haves a wierd extension and it does't contain text, I use XnView to recognize it. I use it very rarely, but this way I don't need external hex viewer and hex editors are too HC to me.

ckv wrote:I use the hex view to check unknown files. If theres a file what haves a wierd extension and it does't contain text, I use XnView to recognize it. I use it very rarely, but this way I don't need external hex viewer and hex editors are too HC to me.

I see. Sure enough I don't speak of completely removing Hex mode. Would it be o.k. for you if you manually enabled the Hex viewing once?

Don't want to be indiscreet: Would you say you are a novice / standard / or power user in terms of computer (not just XnView)?

ckv wrote:Well... I don't know proper title as english for it, but I am a electronic mechanic and computer science student (full time nerd ), so it's my job to be a power user.

Exactly what I expected and what I wanted to hear.

Well... I do pretty well with computers (I study it). Considering that I din't know how to use windows Start menu four years ago. I think my self as a power user.

I think it should be disabled by default too.

About that hexa thing...
There is in Options: General>'Open Hexa View if not a picture' and Browser>Preview>'Show HexaView for unknow file'.
I believe they should be replaced by a single 'Show in hexadecimal if file can't be displayed' that would apply to Preview, View/Navigation and Open (after the "format of the file could not be determined" message).

That option would be enough for people who want to check the HexaView, even regularly.
Remove permanently Browser Menu>File>'Open in hex mode', Viewer Menu>View>'View as hex' and RMB context Menu>View in Hex mode.
Just keep Menu Tools>'View as hexadecimal' in both Browser and Viewer (needs to be added here) for checking specific files.

Lastly, some bugs about HexaView:
- if you open several files in hexaview and close one window, XnView will crash
- if you uncheck 'Open one view per selected image', HexaView will open all files of the selection whereas it should open only one (as for normal viewing behaviour).

Olivier_G wrote:Remove permanently Viewer Menu>View>'View as hex'

Really? If i click on text file, i have the text in preview, but if i want to see it as hexa, i can't (if i remove this option)

xnview wrote:If i click on text file, i have the text in preview, but if i want to see it as hexa, i can't (if i remove this option)

'View as hex' is currently on 3 places (1 = Open; 2 = Tools(browser)/View(viewer); 3 = Context menu)... => keep one only, preferably in 'Tools' for both Browser and Viewer, and you'll be able to view as hexa any selected file.

Olivier_G wrote:'View as hex' is currently in 3 places: 1 = Open; 2 = Tools(browser)/View(viewer); 3 = Context menu

Pierre, please:
- remove RMB context menu>View in hex mode
- remove File>Open in hex mode
- move for Viewer: View>View in hex mode to Tools>View in hex mode

Thank you for supporting my KISS Berserk mode...

Olivier_G wrote:

Olivier_G wrote:'View as hex' is currently in 3 places: 1 = Open; 2 = Tools(browser)/View(viewer); 3 = Context menu

Pierre, please:
- remove RMB context menu>View in hex mode

ok

- remove File>Open in hex mode

But how to open a file in hex view???

- move for Viewer: View>View in hex mode to Tools>View in hex mode

Ok

xnview wrote:

Olivier_G wrote:- remove File>Open in hex mode

But how to open a file in hex view???

Select the file in XnView, choose Tools>View in hex mode.
(temporary show all files with 'filter' if it isn't listed in the current 'items displayed list')