Read hex file, convert to string and load to listBox

Question

I want the listBox to display the IDs stored at a file. The IDs are in hexadecimal value.

I am stuck trying to load the file and converting the HEX to ASCII, so the listBox can load it. The file also contains some more information, like item name, item level, and such...

Here is a sample of the file:

00000000h: 50 12 00 00 2F D9 01 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; P.../Ù..........
00000010h: 46 65 61 74 68 65 72 20 45 61 72 72 69 6E 67 00 ; Feather Earring.
00000020h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000030h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000040h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000050h: 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 07 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000060h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8 88 00 00 ; ............¸ˆ..
00000070h: 00 0C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 ; ............ ...
00000080h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000090h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000a0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000000f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000100h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000110h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000120h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000130h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000140h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000150h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000160h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000170h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000180h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000190h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001a0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000001f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000200h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000210h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000220h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000230h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000240h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000250h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000260h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000270h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000280h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000290h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002a0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000002f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000300h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000310h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000320h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000330h: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 4A 61 64 65 20 45 61 72 ; ........Jade Ear
00000340h: 72 69 6E 67 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ring............
00000350h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000360h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000370h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 ; ................
00000380h: 07 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000390h: 00 00 00 00 20 A1 07 00 00 0C 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; .... ¡..........
000003a0h: 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; .... ...........
000003b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000003c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000003d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000003e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000003f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000400h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000410h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000420h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000430h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000440h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000450h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000460h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000470h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000480h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000490h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004a0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000004f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000500h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000510h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000520h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000530h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000540h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000550h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000560h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000570h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000580h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000590h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005a0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005b0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005c0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005d0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005e0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
000005f0h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000600h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000610h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000620h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000630h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000640h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................
00000650h: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ................

Ignore the "50 12 00 00 2F D9 01 00" at the beggining, that is file version and other irrelevant data, what i want to parse into the listBox is the item ID "01" that is right after the version of the file.

The next item ID is at "00000330h" and the value is "02". Towards the end of the files you can see that there is ID "03"...

EDIT:

OK, now I am loading the file and reading the Item's section inside of it, but I have no clue how to load the IDs into the listBox... The IDs are separated from each other by 807 bytes, so every 807 bytes there is an ID.

Here is how I am loading the file's section

    int itemSectionStart = 0x00000000;
    int itemSectionEnd = 0x002e11e0;

    FileStream fstream = new FileStream("C:\\Users\\xxx\\Desktop\\xxx\\xxx\\xxx.dec", FileMode.Open);
    BinaryReader breader = new BinaryReader(fstream);
    long length = fstream.Length;

    breader.BaseStream.Position = itemSectionStart;
    byte[] itemSection = breader.ReadBytes(itemSectionEnd);

Answer 1

Assuming you know how to locate the IDs you want in the file, and you know their width (e.g. you know they're each 4 bytes comprising an Int32), you can use C#'s BitConverter class, which takes a byte array and an index and gives you back the corresponding numeric type. You may have to swap things around if endianness is an issue.

Read your file into a byte array, use BitConverter at each offset you care about, convert the numbers to strings, and load up your ListView.

int startIndex = 8;
int recordStride = 128;
int numRecords = 4;

using (FileStream str = File.OpenRead("myfile.ext")) {
    for (int i = 0; i < numRecords; i++) {
        byte[] data = new byte[4];
        str.Seek(startIndex + recordStride * i, SeekOrigin.Begin);
        str.Read(data, 0, 4);
        if (NeedToByteSwap)
            Array.Reverse(data);

        int id = BitConverter.ToInt32(data, 0);
        AddToListView(id.ToString());
    }
}

Fill in or calculate your starting parameters as needed.

Answer 2

Finally accomplished what I was looking for! Here is the approach I took to make it work: (Might not be pretty, but it works!)

private string hex2dec(string hexString)
{
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    sb.Append(long.Parse(hexString, System.Globalization.NumberStyles.HexNumber));
    return sb.ToString();
}

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    int numRecords = 3737;
    int itemSectionStart = 0x00000008;
    int itemSectionEnd = 0x002e11ec;

    using (FileStream str = File.OpenRead("C:\\Users\\xxx\\Desktop\\xxx\\xxx\\xxx.dec"))
    {
        BinaryReader breader = new BinaryReader(str);
        breader.BaseStream.Position = itemSectionStart;
        byte[] itemSection = breader.ReadBytes(itemSectionEnd);

        int j = 0;
        int k = j++;
        for (int i = 0; i < numRecords; i++)
        {
            string id = BitConverter.ToString(itemSection, 808 * k++, 7);
            string[] strArrayID = id.Split(new char[] { '-' });
            string reversedID = strArrayID[6] + strArrayID[5] + strArrayID[4] + strArrayID[3] + strArrayID[2] + strArrayID[1] + strArrayID[0];
            listBox1.Items.Add(this.hex2dec(reversedID));
        }
    }
}