Decode

There’s a lot more code behind every kind of file, which you might need in all sorts of project developments. For instance, you can view the hexadecimal code of every file, which has a direct link to a component you can actually read. You need, however, applications like Decode in order to view this HEX code.

The application comes in a pretty lightweight package and doesn’t even take you through a setup process to enable functionality. This gives you the chance to take it for a spin as soon as download is done and store it on a thumb drive in case you need to use it on other computers. Moreover, registry entries are not altered during the process, so system stability is not affected.

As mentioned, the core function of the application is to provide a clear view of hexadecimal code inside any kind of file. Loading the item of interest can either be done through a drag and drop operation, or via the browse dialog. Note, however, that the default view is set to text, but this can be changed to show the hexadecimal code, or both text and HEX.

What makes it a little different from others of its type is the visual design. It’s wrapped around a command line interface, but this doesn’t mean you have any trouble reading code strings of interest. Unfortunately, you can only view code, with no possibility to edit anything. More than this, you can’t even select strings to view the HEX or text correspondent.

Apart from viewing the HEX and text correspondents, the application also lets you export the file content as text, and JAVA file. You can add a Send To context menu entry for easier access to the application features. Font and background colors can be changed for better view of strings.

Taking everything into consideration, we can state that Decode is not really your average HEX editor, mostly because it doesn’t let you edit anything. Different view types can be toggled, with a few customization options, as well as export possibilities for text content or JAVA files to insert in your projects.