# NAME

blockHashRead - Read a block hash file

# DESCRIPTION

blockHashRead is a stand alone command line tool which converts a block hash file in to a list of hostnames. This way, a binary block hash file can be converted in to an ASCII list of host names, edited, and then converted back in to a binary block hash file with the blockHashMake utility.

A block hash file uses a special binary format for storing a list of blocked host names.

# USAGE

blockHashRead is invoked as follows:

    blockHashRead --dump bigBlock.bin

Replace "bigBlock.bin" with the filename for the block hash file.

Doing this will output, on standard output, a list of host names in the block hash file. Each line will contain a single host name. When compiled for *NIX, the output will use *NIX line feeds; the Windows port of blockHashRead uses DOS line feeds.

blockHashRead can be invoked with a single "--help" or "--version" command line argument (e.g. "blockHashRead --version") which will output the version number of blockHashRead and provide basic usage information.

# HOST LIST FORMAT

After being invoked, blockHashRead writes a list of host names to the standard output. The format is a single host name per line of input, such as the following:

    porn.example.com
    naughty.foo
    evil.host.invalid

Each line is a host name.

blockHashRead has no support for Punycode. Please use another program to convert international domain names with non-ASCII characters in to their non-punycode representation if seeing correct international domain names is desired.

# LIMITATIONS

The block hash format that blockHashRead looks at is a 32-bit format, and the resulting block hash file should be under 2,147,483,648 bytes in size. This is a limitation of around 30 million host names.

# LEGAL DISCLAIMERS

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

This is a project developed on a strictly volunteer, non-commercial basis. It has been developed outside the course of a commercial activity, developed entirely in the Americas (i.e. outside of Europe) and therefore is not subject to the restrictions or conditions of the proposed EU Cyber Resilience Act. Someone selling a product that uses any component of this may be subject to this act and may need to handle any and all necessary compliance.

# AUTHORS

Sam Trenholme (https://www.samiam.org) is responsible for this program and man page.