Author Topic: PeekIt is a quick and easy utility for examining any file on your Mac  (Read 3656 times)

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PeekIt is a quick and easy utility for examining any file on your Mac



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PeekIt is a quick and easy utility for examining any file on your Mac.
PeekIt allows you to open, examine, and change (as raw or hex values) the contents of a file.  This is very useful for anyone from programmers to people who just want to snoop around the system to learn more.
PeekIt also allows you to annotate files, adding notes about interesting data locations, fields, and other information.  This can be a huge boon to programmers working in remote teams, and with the addition of exporting .pinotes files in 2.4 this gets even better, see the Notes section of the docs.

The ability to directly modify the contents of any file can be invaluable, for everything from making a change in a file you don't have an application for, to fixing a value quickly during debugging of an application.
PeekIt can also be a fun tool to explore and learn, and in some cases make other applications more usable.  Peeking a game save file, for example, can teach you how programmers think and work when they are saving a complex bunch of information.  If along the way you figure out how to give yourself 1,000,000 extra gold pieces that can be fun, too!
It's important to note that PeekIt will make no changes to a file unless you specifically indicate that you want to make changes.  PeekIt will never modify a file accidentally or without your complete knowledge.  PeekIt also uses very little memory, it does not read the entire file under investigation into memory, only a small portion.
I use PeekIt when I'm writing code (including PeekIt, recursively), so I'm always thinking of new things that I want it to do. Check the PeekIt home page regularly for updates, I usually do 2-3 a year. Also, I designed PeekIt primarily for viewing and investigating, the modification/editing side of things is secondary. I'll always be tweaking and increasing the capabilities to explore, annotate, and investigate, but the editing it is lower priority unless you give me a compelling idea or request (like pasting in 2.5.3)

Note: People have commented on the lack-of-beauty of PeekIt's icons. This is True. I ain't an artist, if you can make better icons do so and send 'em to me, I'll probably use them.

PeekIt is provided free of charge.

System Requirements: I dunno. I usually develop and test PeekIt! on the latest version of the OS (10.6.4 currently, for example) and don't test anywhere else. I try not to use anything later than 10.4-ish or version specific. See if it runs on what you're using.

Release Notes
PeekIt 2.6.3 Released September 2010
Some Formatter fixes for Kevin A. (who is a dedicated Peeker)
- Fixed a bug with loading and saving formatters on launch and quit
- Fixed a weird bug in the byte string formatter, I can't describe it. I also can't describe the fix.
- Fixed a bug where the byte string formatter wasn't respecting the Hex checkbox, it does now
PeekIt 2.6.2 Released April 2008
- Fixed bugs in the Find routines.
- Added an intel disassember view to the value drawer.
- Shortened the data view in the value drawer slightly to make the buttons easier to click.

http://www.ravenware.com/sware/PeekIt%20Users%20Guide.html

 

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