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I would like to create a file that just contains a binary number. I think that touch can be used to create an empty file, but is there any way I can fill it with a binary number e.g. 10 (ten)? And how can I validate that the file contains the binary value of ten?

See also How can I check the Base64 value for an integer?

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Convert the number to hex (in this case A) and then do:

echo -en '\xA' > file
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  • Thanks, however, now I don't know how I can validate this anser. E.g could I write the number 65 and in some way print that with a command? – Jonas Oct 24 '10 at 15:41
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    @Jonas: hexdump file will display the bytes in a file as hex. – sepp2k Oct 24 '10 at 15:42
  • Thanks for hexdump. I added that to my question. However I don't think echoing the hexnumber is working. When I look at the file with hexdump file I get 0000000 785c 0041 0000003 and I get a different value for echo -n '\xa > file` – Jonas Oct 24 '10 at 15:55
  • The file seems to contain something more than a number, and with hexdump should the hexvalue \xA be shown as A or a? But it doesn't in this case. – Jonas Oct 24 '10 at 15:58
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    @Jonas: Ok, my bad. I tested this in zsh and apparently zsh's echo behaves differently than bash's. In bash you need the -e option to echo for \x to work. – sepp2k Oct 24 '10 at 16:01

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