Embedding binary data in a script efficiently
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I have seen some installation files (huge ones, install.sh for Matlab or Mathematica, for example) for Unix-like systems, they must have embedded quite a lot of binary data, such as icons, sound, graphics, etc, into the script. I am wondering how that can be done, since this can be potentially useful in simplifying file structure.
I am particularly interested in doing this with Python and/or Bash.
Existing methods that I know of in Python:
- Just use a byte string:
x = b'x23xa3xef' ..., terribly inefficient, takes half a MB for a 100KB wav file. - base64, better than option 1, enlarge the size by a factor of 4/3.
I am wondering if there are other (better) ways to do this?
python bash binaryfiles
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
|
show 1 more comment
I have seen some installation files (huge ones, install.sh for Matlab or Mathematica, for example) for Unix-like systems, they must have embedded quite a lot of binary data, such as icons, sound, graphics, etc, into the script. I am wondering how that can be done, since this can be potentially useful in simplifying file structure.
I am particularly interested in doing this with Python and/or Bash.
Existing methods that I know of in Python:
- Just use a byte string:
x = b'x23xa3xef' ..., terribly inefficient, takes half a MB for a 100KB wav file. - base64, better than option 1, enlarge the size by a factor of 4/3.
I am wondering if there are other (better) ways to do this?
python bash binaryfiles
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
2
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
1
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
1
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48
|
show 1 more comment
I have seen some installation files (huge ones, install.sh for Matlab or Mathematica, for example) for Unix-like systems, they must have embedded quite a lot of binary data, such as icons, sound, graphics, etc, into the script. I am wondering how that can be done, since this can be potentially useful in simplifying file structure.
I am particularly interested in doing this with Python and/or Bash.
Existing methods that I know of in Python:
- Just use a byte string:
x = b'x23xa3xef' ..., terribly inefficient, takes half a MB for a 100KB wav file. - base64, better than option 1, enlarge the size by a factor of 4/3.
I am wondering if there are other (better) ways to do this?
python bash binaryfiles
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
I have seen some installation files (huge ones, install.sh for Matlab or Mathematica, for example) for Unix-like systems, they must have embedded quite a lot of binary data, such as icons, sound, graphics, etc, into the script. I am wondering how that can be done, since this can be potentially useful in simplifying file structure.
I am particularly interested in doing this with Python and/or Bash.
Existing methods that I know of in Python:
- Just use a byte string:
x = b'x23xa3xef' ..., terribly inefficient, takes half a MB for a 100KB wav file. - base64, better than option 1, enlarge the size by a factor of 4/3.
I am wondering if there are other (better) ways to do this?
python bash binaryfiles
python bash binaryfiles
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:45
Jonathan Leffler
574k956881041
574k956881041
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
asked Dec 22 '14 at 11:37
qedqed
10.1k1269120
10.1k1269120
2
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
1
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
1
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48
|
show 1 more comment
2
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
1
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
1
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48
2
2
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
1
1
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
1
1
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48
|
show 1 more comment
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
You can use base64 + compression (using bz2 for instance) if that suits your data (e.g., if you're not embedding already compressed data).
For instance, to create your data (say your data consist of 100 null bytes followed by 200 bytes with value 0x01):
>>> import bz2
>>> bz2.compress(b'x00' * 100 + b'x01' * 200).encode('base64').replace('n', '')
'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
And to use it (in your script) to write the data to a file:
import bz2
data = 'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
with open('/tmp/testfile', 'w') as fdesc:
fdesc.write(bz2.decompress(data.decode('base64')))
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
add a comment |
Here's a quick and dirty way. Create the following script called MyInstaller:
#!/bin/bash
dd if="$0" of=payload bs=1 skip=54
exit
Then append your binary to the script, and make it executable:
cat myBinary >> myInstaller
chmod +x myInstaller
When you run the script, it will copy the binary portion to a new file specified in the path of=. This could be a tar file or whatever, so you can do additional processing (unarchiving, setting execute permissions, etc) after the dd command. Just adjust the number in "skip" to reflect the total length of the script before the binary data starts.
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You can use base64 + compression (using bz2 for instance) if that suits your data (e.g., if you're not embedding already compressed data).
For instance, to create your data (say your data consist of 100 null bytes followed by 200 bytes with value 0x01):
>>> import bz2
>>> bz2.compress(b'x00' * 100 + b'x01' * 200).encode('base64').replace('n', '')
'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
And to use it (in your script) to write the data to a file:
import bz2
data = 'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
with open('/tmp/testfile', 'w') as fdesc:
fdesc.write(bz2.decompress(data.decode('base64')))
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
add a comment |
You can use base64 + compression (using bz2 for instance) if that suits your data (e.g., if you're not embedding already compressed data).
For instance, to create your data (say your data consist of 100 null bytes followed by 200 bytes with value 0x01):
>>> import bz2
>>> bz2.compress(b'x00' * 100 + b'x01' * 200).encode('base64').replace('n', '')
'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
And to use it (in your script) to write the data to a file:
import bz2
data = 'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
with open('/tmp/testfile', 'w') as fdesc:
fdesc.write(bz2.decompress(data.decode('base64')))
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
add a comment |
You can use base64 + compression (using bz2 for instance) if that suits your data (e.g., if you're not embedding already compressed data).
For instance, to create your data (say your data consist of 100 null bytes followed by 200 bytes with value 0x01):
>>> import bz2
>>> bz2.compress(b'x00' * 100 + b'x01' * 200).encode('base64').replace('n', '')
'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
And to use it (in your script) to write the data to a file:
import bz2
data = 'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
with open('/tmp/testfile', 'w') as fdesc:
fdesc.write(bz2.decompress(data.decode('base64')))
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
You can use base64 + compression (using bz2 for instance) if that suits your data (e.g., if you're not embedding already compressed data).
For instance, to create your data (say your data consist of 100 null bytes followed by 200 bytes with value 0x01):
>>> import bz2
>>> bz2.compress(b'x00' * 100 + b'x01' * 200).encode('base64').replace('n', '')
'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
And to use it (in your script) to write the data to a file:
import bz2
data = 'QlpoOTFBWSZTWcl9Q1UAAABBBGAAQAAEACAAIZpoM00SrccXckU4UJDJfUNV'
with open('/tmp/testfile', 'w') as fdesc:
fdesc.write(bz2.decompress(data.decode('base64')))
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
edited Dec 23 '14 at 0:44
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
answered Dec 23 '14 at 0:38
PierrePierre
4,55912240
4,55912240
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
add a comment |
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
Nice, could you give a small example?
– qed
Dec 23 '14 at 0:39
add a comment |
Here's a quick and dirty way. Create the following script called MyInstaller:
#!/bin/bash
dd if="$0" of=payload bs=1 skip=54
exit
Then append your binary to the script, and make it executable:
cat myBinary >> myInstaller
chmod +x myInstaller
When you run the script, it will copy the binary portion to a new file specified in the path of=. This could be a tar file or whatever, so you can do additional processing (unarchiving, setting execute permissions, etc) after the dd command. Just adjust the number in "skip" to reflect the total length of the script before the binary data starts.
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
add a comment |
Here's a quick and dirty way. Create the following script called MyInstaller:
#!/bin/bash
dd if="$0" of=payload bs=1 skip=54
exit
Then append your binary to the script, and make it executable:
cat myBinary >> myInstaller
chmod +x myInstaller
When you run the script, it will copy the binary portion to a new file specified in the path of=. This could be a tar file or whatever, so you can do additional processing (unarchiving, setting execute permissions, etc) after the dd command. Just adjust the number in "skip" to reflect the total length of the script before the binary data starts.
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
add a comment |
Here's a quick and dirty way. Create the following script called MyInstaller:
#!/bin/bash
dd if="$0" of=payload bs=1 skip=54
exit
Then append your binary to the script, and make it executable:
cat myBinary >> myInstaller
chmod +x myInstaller
When you run the script, it will copy the binary portion to a new file specified in the path of=. This could be a tar file or whatever, so you can do additional processing (unarchiving, setting execute permissions, etc) after the dd command. Just adjust the number in "skip" to reflect the total length of the script before the binary data starts.
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
Here's a quick and dirty way. Create the following script called MyInstaller:
#!/bin/bash
dd if="$0" of=payload bs=1 skip=54
exit
Then append your binary to the script, and make it executable:
cat myBinary >> myInstaller
chmod +x myInstaller
When you run the script, it will copy the binary portion to a new file specified in the path of=. This could be a tar file or whatever, so you can do additional processing (unarchiving, setting execute permissions, etc) after the dd command. Just adjust the number in "skip" to reflect the total length of the script before the binary data starts.
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
answered Dec 22 '14 at 12:36
Ivan XIvan X
1,7401119
1,7401119
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
add a comment |
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
A frequent use is a shell script to unzip the tarbal in the right place and some additional checks. Java packages for Linux were built like that.
– mcoolive
Dec 22 '14 at 13:59
add a comment |
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2
I very much doubt they are embedding the entire payload into the script.
– Burhan Khalid
Dec 22 '14 at 11:45
I think they probably did, by looking at the size, it's several GB.
– qed
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
Your intro makes this question "too broad". If you're interested in efficient method for integrating binary data into script files, ask that..
– Korem
Dec 22 '14 at 11:48
1
This may help stackoverflow.com/questions/955460/…
– ρss
Dec 22 '14 at 12:21
1
Some languages, such as Bash, are forgiving enough to allow arbitrary binary data to be appended the end of a script.
– Rufflewind
Dec 23 '14 at 0:48