How do I start using grammar?

Question

I recently discovered Hexinator and I would like to try out the grammar feature, just to see how it works. I downloaded the WAV file grammar from the grammars page (https://www.synalysis.net/formats.xml) and now I have wav.grammar file with some XML code. I also opened a small wav file in Hexinator and I believe the program is supposed to show the different parts of the WAV header and the data sections in different colours. But I have no idea how to get started. Could someone please link me to a tutorial or a how to guide with screenshots? Or is this a paid only feature? I am using the free version in Windows 10.

Answer 1

The easiest workflow is that you open a file with a known file extension / grammar and the grammar suggests to download and apply that grammar. This is possible because the application loads the formats.xml when starting. When you open wav.grammar with Hexinator it should be opened in the grammar editor (not as XML in the hex editor).

Once the grammar is loaded in the grammar editor, opened data files (in the hex editor) should have the grammar available in the "Grammar" toolbar selection. After you selected there "Windows Wave" the file should be decoded and the results shown in the tree view right next to the hex editor.

Is this explanation sufficient?

Comments

I closed everything and restarted my computer, and next time I opened a wav file in hexinator it automatically asked me if i want to apply grammar. So I think it's probably working now.