bones-info - display information about a Nethack bones file

bones-info [-a | --auto] [-b | --big-endian] [--debug] [--help] [-x | --hexadecimal] [-l | --little-endian] [-v | --verbose] [--version] file...

bones-info displays information about a Nethack bones file. By default it shows what byte sex it used to read the file and the 4 version numbers which constitute the feature set and platform for the Nethack binary which generated it.

Normally bones-info reads the bones file in little endian order, regardless of the byte sex of the current system, mostly because it was originally written to help with diagnosing problems with hearse and that's the most useful behavior for that purpose. You can use the --auto, --big-endian, and --little-endian switches to change this.

--auto is particularly useful (and appropriate) when using --verbose.

-a, --auto

Try to guess the right byte sex (little endian or big endian) for each input file. If there doesn't seem to be a right choice, bones-info will output a warning, set a non-zero exit status, and move on to the next file.

-b, --big-endian

Read the bones files in big endian order, such as is used by Macs. See also --auto.

--debug

Turn debugging on.

--help

Show the usage message and die.

-x, --hexadecimal

Output numbers in hexadecimal form.

-l, --little-endian

Read the bones files in little endian order, such as is used by Intel hardware. This is the default, I include it so that you don't have to check what the default is if you know you want it a certain way.

-v, --verbose

Output more info about the bones file. This tries to decode the 4 version numbers. Its useful when you want to see what the differences are between two sets of version numbers. You'd normally want to use --auto when you use --verbose.

--version

Show the version number and exit.

Output the values as used by the hearse server:

 $ bones-info *
 bonD0.0     sex=l v1=1        v2=2          v3=3          v4=4
 bonD0.4.gz  sex=l v1=50593792 v2=10357958   v3=555422078  v4=2759955912
 bonD0.8.Z   sex=l v1=1027     v2=3322682880 v3=2115050273 v4=3365241252
 bonD0.19    sex=l v1=50528512 v2=10357830   v3=555409789  v4=2558629316
 bonM0.1     sex=l v1=50593792 v2=404622406  v3=555417981  v4=2759955916
 bonM0.T     sex=l v1=50593792 v2=1969222    v3=555417981  v4=2759955912

Output the real values as seen on the system which wrote the file (by guessing the byte sex of the file):

 $ bones-info --auto *
 bones-info: can't intuit byte sex of bonD0.0
 bonD0.4.gz  sex=l v1=50593792 v2=10357958   v3=555422078  v4=2759955912
 bonD0.8.Z   sex=b v1=50593792 v2=1969350    v3=555422078  v4=2759955912
 bonD0.19    sex=l v1=50528512 v2=10357830   v3=555409789  v4=2558629316
 bonM0.1     sex=l v1=50593792 v2=404622406  v3=555417981  v4=2759955916
 bonM0.T     sex=l v1=50593792 v2=1969222    v3=555417981  v4=2759955912
 zsh: exit 1     bones-info --auto *

Decode the version numbers:

 $ bones-info --auto --verbose bonD0.4.gz bonD0.8.Z
 bonD0.4.gz: 18389 bytes
        read as: little endian
    incarnation: 50593792   (3.4.0.0)
    feature_set: 10357958   (REINCARNATION SINKS KOPS MAIL TOURIST STEED
                             TEXTCOLOR INSURANCE ELBERETH EXP_ON_BOTL
                             TIMED_DELAY)
   entity_count: 555422078  (33 artifacts, 433 objects, 382 monsters)
   struct_sizes: 2759955912 (164 flag, 64 obj, 101 monst, 456 you)

 bonD0.8.Z: 22296 bytes
        read as: big endian
    incarnation: 50593792   (3.4.0.0)
    feature_set: 1969350    (REINCARNATION SINKS KOPS MAIL TOURIST STEED
                             TEXTCOLOR INSURANCE ELBERETH EXP_ON_BOTL)
   entity_count: 555422078  (33 artifacts, 433 objects, 382 monsters)
   struct_sizes: 2759955912 (164 flag, 64 obj, 101 monst, 456 you)

 $ _

Unsigned longs are assumed to be 4 bytes.

The --auto byte sex detection isn't robust.

It'd be nice to be provide --verbose output for bones files from older versions.

This program is distributed with the Unix Hearse client. The code is licensed under the GNU GPL. Check http://www.argon.org/~roderick/hearse/ for updated versions.

Roderick Schertler <roderick@argon.org>