binhex

BinHex is a file format used for encoding binary data, such as files, in a text format. It was developed by Apple in the 1980s for use with the Apple Macintosh computer.

The BinHex format uses a four-part encoding system to represent binary data as hexadecimal characters. This encoding process involves breaking down the binary data into 8-bit blocks, then translating each block into a 4-character hexadecimal code. This resulting hexadecimal string can then be sent or stored as plain text, allowing it to be transmitted or read by different systems.

One of the primary purposes of BinHex was to enable the encoding and transmission of Macintosh files over email or file transfer protocols. When a Macintosh file was sent as an attachment, it was often encoded into BinHex format before being transmitted. The receiving system would then decode the BinHex file to recover the original Macintosh file.

While BinHex was widely used in the early days of Macintosh computing and email, its use has largely been replaced by other encoding formats, such as uuencode and base64. These latter formats offer more efficient encoding and decoding, particularly for larger files. Nevertheless, BinHex remains a historical part of the evolution of file encoding and transfer on the Macintosh platform.