A Binary Data Stream Scripting Language

TL;DR

This paper introduces DFSL, a scripting language for describing binary data streams, enabling automated parsing and human-readable output, reducing errors in hardware and network protocol development.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel scripting language, DFSL, and a generic parser application that interprets binary data streams based on user-defined scripts, improving data handling efficiency.

Findings

Successfully parses various binary data streams

Generates human-readable and XML output

Reduces low-level programming errors

Abstract

Any file is fundamentally a binary data stream. A practical solution was achieved to interpret binary data stream. A new scripting language named Data Format Scripting Language (DFSL) was developed to describe the physical layout of the data in a structural, more intelligible way. On the basis of the solution, a generic software application was implemented; it parses various binary data streams according to their respective DFSL scripts and generates human-readable result and XML document for data sharing. Our solution helps eliminate the error-prone low-level programming, especially in the hardware devices or network protocol development/debugging processes.