I'm looking for a command-line utility that will, at a minimum, render binary protobuf data in human-readable form. Filtering and selection options (along the lines of cut
for text) would be nice, but the primary object is to make the data visible for debugging purposes.
If there is no definitive tool for the job, links to relevant packages are fine.
The Protocol Compiler -- protoc
-- has this functionality built-in via the --decode
and --decode_raw
flags. This is the same tool you use to generate code from a .proto
file so is likely already installed.
For example:
protoc --decode_raw < message.bin
Or using the .proto
file:
protoc --decode mypkg.MyType myschema.proto < message.bin
Here is the --help
text:
Usage: protoc [OPTION] PROTO_FILES Parse PROTO_FILES and generate output based on the options given: -IPATH, --proto_path=PATH Specify the directory in which to search for imports. May be specified multiple times; directories will be searched in order. If not given, the current working directory is used. --version Show version info and exit. -h, --help Show this text and exit. --encode=MESSAGE_TYPE Read a text-format message of the given type from standard input and write it in binary to standard output. The message type must be defined in PROTO_FILES or their imports. --decode=MESSAGE_TYPE Read a binary message of the given type from standard input and write it in text format to standard output. The message type must be defined in PROTO_FILES or their imports. --decode_raw Read an arbitrary protocol message from standard input and write the raw tag/value pairs in text format to standard output. No PROTO_FILES should be given when using this flag. -oFILE, Writes a FileDescriptorSet (a protocol buffer, --descriptor_set_out=FILE defined in descriptor.proto) containing all of the input files to FILE. --include_imports When using --descriptor_set_out, also include all dependencies of the input files in the set, so that the set is self-contained. --include_source_info When using --descriptor_set_out, do not strip SourceCodeInfo from the FileDescriptorProto. This results in vastly larger descriptors that include information about the original location of each decl in the source file as well as surrounding comments. --error_format=FORMAT Set the format in which to print errors. FORMAT may be 'gcc' (the default) or 'msvs' (Microsoft Visual Studio format). --print_free_field_numbers Print the free field numbers of the messages defined in the given proto files. Groups share the same field number space with the parent message. Extension ranges are counted as occupied fields numbers. --plugin=EXECUTABLE Specifies a plugin executable to use. Normally, protoc searches the PATH for plugins, but you may specify additional executables not in the path using this flag. Additionally, EXECUTABLE may be of the form NAME=PATH, in which case the given plugin name is mapped to the given executable even if the executable's own name differs. --cpp_out=OUT_DIR Generate C++ header and source. --java_out=OUT_DIR Generate Java source file. --python_out=OUT_DIR Generate Python source file.
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With