converts encoding to 20 ancient 5-bit text codes like baudot, murray to and from UTF-8/ASCII
This little utility is something I was missing on the internet in 2007. So I simply coded some short lines to solve this problem once and for all. It does not do much, but it does it well.
baudot is a text convert like recode or iconv but it's specialized on ancient formats. Like 5 bit BAUDOT code or classic TELETYPE code and endodes it to and from ASCII or UTF-8.
Input from stdin (<&0), output to stdout (>&1) and status messages to stderr (>&2)
No Makefile for it's trivial to compile. It's thought to be an easy tool. I don't care if it's ugly or not or if there are compiler warning or not. It does what it intended to.
Guess some cryptologists and HAM operators will find this useful. And folks working in computer museums. And of course those scientists working at Aperture Science Labs that think that 8 bit is a waste of storage and bandwidth for transmission and that 60% enhanced efficiency isn't something that science can ignore.
##Compile:
$> gcc -O2 baudot.c -o baudot
##Install
$> sudo ln -s SOURCEPATH/baudot/baudot /usr/local/bin/
##Help:
$> baudot -h
baudot [OPTION]
Encodes or decodes UTF-8 to and from Baudot-like 5-tape text encoding
uses stdin and stdout as input and output
© 2007 Hanno Behrens (pebbles@schattenlauf.de) Licence GPL
Available Options:
-h this help
-l list of available codings
-d decode from 5-tape to utf
-cNUM used coding (default=7)
-bBIT bitmode (default -1=standard for coding)
##Encodings:
$> baudot -l
0 CCITT#2 (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
1 CCITT#2/US (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
2 ITA-2 (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
3 LEO (Lyon's Electronic Office) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
4 English Electric Deuce (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
5 Illiac (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
6 Baudot (CCITT#1) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
7 Murray (CCITT#2) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
8 Alcor (Algol 60, DIN) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
9 Teletype (US CCITT#2) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
10 AT&T (US Stock Market) (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
11 Flexowriter (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
12 Metro-Vick 950 (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
13 Elliott 405 (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
14 EMI 2400 (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
15 BSI Proposal (Bitmode=0 - FromRight)
16 Stantec Zebra (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
17 EMI M/C Tool (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
18 EMI 1100 (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
19 Pegasus-Mercury (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
20 Pegasus-Flexowriter (Bitmode=2 - FromLeft)
##Examples
Simple test, will output in shifted letters for MURRAY code has no small ones defined. Default is Number 7 "Murray" also known as CCITT#2
$> echo "hello THIS is a test"|baudot | baudot -d
Table 7: Murray (CCITT#2) encoding Bitmode -1
Table 7: Murray (CCITT#2) decoding Bitmode -1
HELLO THIS IS A TEST
Encode to binary printout, like paperpunch
$> echo "the enemy attacks at dawn"|baudot -c6|xxd -b -c 1 -E|awk '{print $2,$3}'
Table 7: Murray (CCITT#2) encoding Bitmode 6
00000001 .
00000101 .
00010000 .
00000100 .
00010000 .
00000110 .
00010000 .
00000111 .
00010101 .
00000100 .
00011000 .
00000001 .
00000001 .
00011000 .
00001110 .
00011110 .
00010100 .
00000100 .
00011000 .
00000001 .
00000100 .
00010010 .
00011000 .
00011001 .
00000110 .
00001000 .
Print on simulated paper punch The ppt program is part of the "bsdgames" package.
5070> echo "the enemy attacks at dawn" | baudot -c9|ppt >&2|ppt -d|baudot -c9 -d
Table 9: Teletype (US CCITT#2) encoding Bitmode -1
___________
| . o|
| .o o|
| o . |
| .o |
| o . |
| .oo |
| o . |
| .ooo|
| o .o o|
| .o |
| oo. |
| . o|
| . o|
| oo. |
| o.oo |
| oo.oo |
| o .o |
| .o |
| oo. |
| . o|
| .o |
| o . o |
| oo. |
| oo. o|
| .oo |
| o. |
___________
Table 9: Teletype (US CCITT#2) decoding Bitmode -1
THE ENEMY ATTACKS AT DAWN
Print UTF8 over TELETYPE and back The trick is to convert the text into Punycode, which is a pure ASCII code for international domain names. This will still lose the small characters but I found it amusing to put UTF8 on ancient TELETYPE lines.
This is especially for Aperture Labs! UTF-8? Ha! We do it with 5 bit! The whole 8-Bit thing was barking up the wrong tree! Never mind the small characters. Who needs them anyway? Seymour Cray never did mind the small characters. Why should we?
$> echo "Über den Hügel"|idn | baudot -c9|ppt >&2|ppt -d|baudot -c9 -d |idn -u
Table 9: Teletype (US CCITT#2) encoding Bitmode -1
___________
| o .ooo|
| .oo |
| oo. oo|
| oo. |
| oo. |
| oo.ooo|
| o . oo|
| o . |
| o. o |
| .o |
| o . o |
| o . |
| .oo |
| .o |
| .o o|
| o. oo|
| o . |
| o. o|
| oo. oo|
| oo. |
| oo.ooo|
| o.oo |
| o. o|
| o . oo|
| oo. o |
| o. |
___________
Table 9: Teletype (US CCITT#2) decoding Bitmode -1
üBER DEN HüGEL
And if we want that damn small characters, we chose the ultra-modern Pegasus-Flexowriter! But I don't think, anyone will ever need these superfluous features that those eggheads in their labcoats wanted.
$> echo "We can do IT\!\n4¼ 3¾ 2½.\nWho needs the \$ if we have the £. There is only one empire and that speaks English.\nWell, okay, we don't have the exclamation mark.\nBut everything we say is important anyway, or not?\nJust use the NORMAL LETTERS, IF YOU NEED TO BE LOUD."|tee >&2|baudot -c20|baudot -c20 -d
Table 20: Pegasus-Flexowriter encoding Bitmode -1
We can do IT!
4¼ 3¾ 2½.
Who needs the $ if we have the £. There is only one empire and that speaks English.
Well, okay, we don't have the exclamation mark.
But everything we say is important anyway, or not?
Just use the NORMAL LETTERS, IF YOU NEED TO BE LOUD.
Table 20: Pegasus-Flexowriter decoding Bitmode -1
We can do IT
4¼ 3¾ 2½.
Who needs the if we have the £. There is only one empire and that speaks English.
Well, okay, we don't have the exclamation mark.
But everything we say is important anyway, or not?
Just use the NORMAL LETTERS, IF YOU NEED TO BE LOUD.