Software program using the BinHex format facilitates the encoding of binary knowledge into ASCII textual content. This course of permits for the handy transmission of recordsdata throughout methods and platforms the place binary knowledge might not be instantly supported or simply dealt with. A typical manifestation is an utility that converts a Macintosh file, containing each knowledge and useful resource forks, right into a text-based illustration.
This encoding technique gained prominence throughout the early period of on-line file sharing, significantly throughout the Macintosh neighborhood. It addressed the challenges of transferring recordsdata by way of e mail methods and bulletin board providers that had been primarily designed for textual content material. The profit was guaranteeing knowledge integrity and preserving file attributes throughout transmission, regardless of limitations within the underlying communication protocols.