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Format

BinHex Binary Text

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Summary

Name
BinHex Binary Text
Identifiers
  • MIME: application/mac-binhex40
  • PUID: x-fmt/416
Format type
Aggregate
Description
BinHex or Binary to Hexadecimal is a text encoded system primary used for Macintosh Classic systems when transferring over email and for transferring online. The file can include the data and resource fork of a file along with original names, type, and creator. It can be combined with MacBinary, Stuffit and others. Encoding uses a 16-bit CRC for validation.
Format encoding
Text
Note
http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/wiki/BinHex https://preservation.tylerthorsted.com/2023/09/29/binhex/
File extensions
hqx
Submitted by
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives

Internal signatures

BinHex Binary Text

Description
BOF; Offset:0-4084; Magic Bytes: '(This file must be converted with BinHex' and in 6-9 bytes 0x3A; EOF; Offset: 64; Magic Bytes: 0x3A
Provenance
Signature identified by Georgia Tech Research Institute (Candidate Internal Signatures for File Formats in PRONOM Registry; 05/06/2010). 04/2024(v.117)- 4k offset added to BOF before main identifiable string. Beginning and ending colon added in conformance with the specification. Submitted by Brigham Young University; v.122- EOF sequence offset modified to include bytes 0-64. Submitted by Archives nationales de France and Brigham Young University.

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
4084
Byte Sequence
28546869732066696C65206D75737420626520636F6E76657274656420776974682042696E486578{6-9}3A
Endianness
None
Min Frag Length
Absolute from EOF
Offset
0
Max offset
64
Byte Sequence
3A
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • V122

    Release date
    19 January 2026

    • Updated

      BinHex Binary Text: . Submitted by Archives nationales de France and Brigham Young University.

  • V118

    Release date
    30 April 2024

    • Updated

      BinHex Binary Text: Signature modified to increase max-offset by approximately 4000 bytes, beginning and ending colon added for conformance to specification. Description, notefield and MIME type updated by Brigham Young University.

  • V45

    Release date
    6 December 2010

    • Added signature

      BinHex Binary Text: Signature submitted by Georgia Tech Research Institute, USA.

    • Updated

      BinHex Binary Text.: Record title updated.