Hex2Ascii ( hexString )

Convert a hexadecimal string to ASCII text using this custom function, ideal for decoding encoded strings in FileMaker.

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Dimitris Kokoutsidis - Show more from this author
Integrity Data
https://axelar.eu/

Sample input:

45 00 00 00 50 00 00 00 53 00 00 00 4F 00 00 00 4E 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 4C 00 00 00 33 00 00 00 36 00 00 00 35 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 53 00 00 00 65 00 00 00 72 00 00 00 69 00 00 00 65 00 00 00 73

Sample output:

EPSON L365 Series

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

 /* =====================================
 * Hex2Ascii ( hexString )
 *
 * RETURNS:
 *     Converts a hexadecimal string to its corresponding ASCII text.
 *     Useful for decoding encoded strings in FileMaker to retrieve readable text.
 *
 * PARAMETERS:
 *     hexString | The hexadecimal string to be converted to ASCII text.
 *
 * DEPENDENCIES: none
 *
 * HISTORY:
 *     2024-08-31   Dimitris Kokoutsidis   Initial version 1.0
 *
 * WEBSITE:
 *     https://axelar.eu/
 * ===================================== */

Let ( 
[
  // Initialize variables
  text = "";
  length = Length(hexString);
  
  result = While (
    [ 
      i = 1; // Initialize the loop counter
      text = ""
    ];

    i ≤ length; // Condition: Continue until all hex pairs are processed

    [
      // Extract a pair of hex digits
      hexPair = Middle(hexString; i; 2);
      
      // Convert the hex pair to a decimal value
      decimalValue = Case(
        hexPair = "00"; 0; hexPair = "01"; 1; hexPair = "02"; 2; hexPair = "03"; 3;
        hexPair = "04"; 4; hexPair = "05"; 5; hexPair = "06"; 6; hexPair = "07"; 7;
        hexPair = "08"; 8; hexPair = "09"; 9; hexPair = "0A"; 10; hexPair = "0B"; 11;
        hexPair = "0C"; 12; hexPair = "0D"; 13; hexPair = "0E"; 14; hexPair = "0F"; 15;
        hexPair = "10"; 16; hexPair = "11"; 17; hexPair = "12"; 18; hexPair = "13"; 19;
        hexPair = "14"; 20; hexPair = "15"; 21; hexPair = "16"; 22; hexPair = "17"; 23;
        hexPair = "18"; 24; hexPair = "19"; 25; hexPair = "1A"; 26; hexPair = "1B"; 27;
        hexPair = "1C"; 28; hexPair = "1D"; 29; hexPair = "1E"; 30; hexPair = "1F"; 31;
        hexPair = "20"; 32; hexPair = "21"; 33; hexPair = "22"; 34; hexPair = "23"; 35;
        hexPair = "24"; 36; hexPair = "25"; 37; hexPair = "26"; 38; hexPair = "27"; 39;
        hexPair = "28"; 40; hexPair = "29"; 41; hexPair = "2A"; 42; hexPair = "2B"; 43;
        hexPair = "2C"; 44; hexPair = "2D"; 45; hexPair = "2E"; 46; hexPair = "2F"; 47;
        hexPair = "30"; 48; hexPair = "31"; 49; hexPair = "32"; 50; hexPair = "33"; 51;
        hexPair = "34"; 52; hexPair = "35"; 53; hexPair = "36"; 54; hexPair = "37"; 55;
        hexPair = "38"; 56; hexPair = "39"; 57; hexPair = "3A"; 58; hexPair = "3B"; 59;
        hexPair = "3C"; 60; hexPair = "3D"; 61; hexPair = "3E"; 62; hexPair = "3F"; 63;
        hexPair = "40"; 64; hexPair = "41"; 65; hexPair = "42"; 66; hexPair = "43"; 67;
        hexPair = "44"; 68; hexPair = "45"; 69; hexPair = "46"; 70; hexPair = "47"; 71;
        hexPair = "48"; 72; hexPair = "49"; 73; hexPair = "4A"; 74; hexPair = "4B"; 75;
        hexPair = "4C"; 76; hexPair = "4D"; 77; hexPair = "4E"; 78; hexPair = "4F"; 79;
        hexPair = "50"; 80; hexPair = "51"; 81; hexPair = "52"; 82; hexPair = "53"; 83;
        hexPair = "54"; 84; hexPair = "55"; 85; hexPair = "56"; 86; hexPair = "57"; 87;
        hexPair = "58"; 88; hexPair = "59"; 89; hexPair = "5A"; 90; hexPair = "5B"; 91;
        hexPair = "5C"; 92; hexPair = "5D"; 93; hexPair = "5E"; 94; hexPair = "5F"; 95;
        hexPair = "60"; 96; hexPair = "61"; 97; hexPair = "62"; 98; hexPair = "63"; 99;
        hexPair = "64"; 100; hexPair = "65"; 101; hexPair = "66"; 102; hexPair = "67"; 103;
        hexPair = "68"; 104; hexPair = "69"; 105; hexPair = "6A"; 106; hexPair = "6B"; 107;
        hexPair = "6C"; 108; hexPair = "6D"; 109; hexPair = "6E"; 110; hexPair = "6F"; 111;
        hexPair = "70"; 112; hexPair = "71"; 113; hexPair = "72"; 114; hexPair = "73"; 115;
        hexPair = "74"; 116; hexPair = "75"; 117; hexPair = "76"; 118; hexPair = "77"; 119;
        hexPair = "78"; 120; hexPair = "79"; 121; hexPair = "7A"; 122; hexPair = "7B"; 123;
        hexPair = "7C"; 124; hexPair = "7D"; 125; hexPair = "7E"; 126; hexPair = "7F"; 127;
        // Handle Extended ASCII (128-255) if needed
        hexPair = "80"; 128; hexPair = "81"; 129; hexPair = "82"; 130;
        // ... Continue mapping extended ASCII characters as needed ...
        hexPair = "FF"; 255;
        0 // Default to 0 for any unrecognized hex pairs
      );
      
      // Convert the decimal value to a character and append it to the text
      text = text & Char(decimalValue);
      
      // Increment the loop counter
      i = i + 2
    ];

    // Result to return
    text
  )
];

  // Return the final text string
  result
)

The Hex2Ascii custom function is designed to take a string of hexadecimal values and convert it into readable ASCII text. This function is particularly useful when dealing with data stored or transmitted in hexadecimal format, allowing you to decode and work with the actual text content.

The function works by iterating through the hexadecimal string two characters at a time, converting each pair of hex digits to its corresponding decimal value, and then mapping that value to the appropriate ASCII character. This process is repeated until the entire string has been decoded.

This function is highly versatile and can be used in various scenarios where hexadecimal encoding is involved, including interpreting raw data, analyzing encoded files, or working with custom scripts and integrations that require hex-to-text conversion in FileMaker.

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Hex2Ascii ( hexString )

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