Is it possible to INSERT, rather than overwrite some data into a file ?

[shodanx2]

I have two slightly different files
Notably, one has an header the other does not.

I would like to copy this header

And Add it to the beginning of the other file. Not overwrite the beginning of the other file.

Is this possible ?

I tried insert

But I don't know what to do here

I tried insert mode

But paste doesn't do .. anything ?

In clipboard I have
"00 00 01 00 01 00 10 10 00 00 01 00 20 00 68 04 00 00 16 00 00 00"

[paxcut]

use insert and put the offset where you want to insert data and for size put the number of bytes you want to insert. This will put zeros at the chosen place. then you can paste the values that you have in the clipboard to overwrite the zeros. The insert mode is meant to type numbers. if you try to paste it will overwrite the existing data.

[shodanx2]

Ok I managed to inserts zeroes

But pasting eludes me, I tried the various ways

But most do not seem to do anything, one does this, paste as string

...

Ah wait, I've got it

It worked with "paste all"

And it matches !

I would suggest something like "paste as insert" where it inserts the bytes in clipboard at the cursor location in one go.

Same with "remove" when you would select some bytes and remove the bytes (rather than zeroing out) without having to specify address and lenght.

Or at least maybe pre-load the value to be at the cursor location and of the clipboard size / selection size

thanks !

[paxcut]

When dealing with binary files adding the sort of operation you suggest can create problems because it is hard to compare the before and after. It is preferable to insert zeros first to make sure they are inserted correctly and ten paste the values over. In general you don't always have some file to compare the results against so the two step process is safer. In text editors insertions like that are much easier to check so whether you insert or overwrite depends on the insert key state which is shown as a different cursor in most text editors.

[paxcut]

when you select a set of bytes and click remove, the window is auto loaded with the offset and the size so you just press ok to remove the selected bytes.