I have a new computer loaded with SuSe Linux 10.When I attempt to invoke
a program I have successfully used in the past for many years I get the
response "cannot execute binary file". The file, (written for me years
ago) forming the program has "execute" permission. I understand this
means that the operating system realises this is a program, but not a
standard binary program file containing machine instructions. I was
told the operating system looks for an interpreter program to run it.
The interpreter, not containing the expected character sequence, uses
the default system interpreter and looks at the first line of the file,
finds that it contains non-printable byte values and so condemns it as
a binary file.<br>
<br>
&nbsp;My program file, as written, contains only printable characters and starts with the identifying #! /bin/sh<br>
<br>
It turns out that to the first character in the file there has been
added a &quot;Unicode byte-order mark&quot; otherwise known, I am told, as a
&quot;zero-width non-breaking space&quot;. This by its nature is not a printable
character nor a visible one. It is one, however, devilishly difficult
to get rid of on a permanent basis. Following directions I tried,
starting with the command &quot;locale&quot;. The output indeed ended with
&quot;UTF8&quot;, the initial cause, I understand, of all the trouble. Again following
directions I
typed &quot;LANG=en_GB&quot; followed by &quot;locale&quot; again and then, using &quot;vi&quot;
edited the file. The hated rogue character showed as three components
in blue. When, using &quot;x&quot;, I got rid of them, I thought I was on top of
the problem, but the final stage which I will quote in full defeated me.<br>
<br>
This is 'Finally, edit the file $HOME /.bash_profile and insert
&quot;LANG=en_GB&quot;&nbsp; or &quot;LC_ALL=en_GB&quot; as appropriate to prevent the
problem
coming back'. The computer crashed. Moreover, I have not succeeded in
locating the file. I suspect I have gone about it in the wrong way.
I would be grateful for the exact key strokes required to get the file into &quot;vi&quot;.<br>
<br>
It seems strange to me that Linux, without my
knowledge or my permission should insert a zero-width non-breaking
space that not only prevents a program, very important to me (and, no doubt others), from
working, but makes it difficult to handle the file because the first
byte is not a printable character.<br>
<br>
Please forgive my abysmal standard of computer literacy. In mitigation
I would point out that I have been in touch with several gurus with, it
seems, a total absence of familiarity with the zero-width non-breaking
space alias the Unicode byte-order mark.<br>
<br>
John Atkinson (Ancient John -- and I do not mind being called that because I now am ancient)<br>