NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra · warning · ValueError

Please provide a hexadecimal file offset.

Error message

Please provide a hexadecimal file offset.

What it means

Raised by LocateMemoryAddressesForFileOffset.py getFileOffset (Jython) when askString returns a value that int(userFileOffset, 16) cannot parse - i.e. it is not a valid hexadecimal string. The Python version validates hex-ness explicitly via try/int, unlike the Java sibling which only checks negativity.

Source

Thrown at Ghidra/Features/Base/ghidra_scripts/LocateMemoryAddressesForFileOffset.py:36

#Print the associated memory address to the Ghidra console
#Print the file offset as a Ghidra comment at the memory address in the Ghidra Listing
#If multiple addresses are located, then print the addresses to the console (do not set a Ghidra comment)
# @category Examples   
# @runtime Jython

import sys
from ghidra.program.model.address import Address
from ghidra.program.model.listing import CodeUnit
from ghidra.program.model.listing import Listing
from ghidra.program.model.mem import Memory
from java.util import Set

def getFileOffset():
  userFileOffset = askString('File offset', 'Please provide a hexadecimal file offset')
  try:
    int(userFileOffset,16)
  except ValueError:
     raise ValueError('Please provide a hexadecimal file offset.')
  myFileOffset = long(userFileOffset,16) #specify base 16 since we expect address in hex
  if myFileOffset < 0:
    raise ValueError('Offset cannot be a negative value.')
  return myFileOffset

def processAddress(addr, memBlockName, fileOffset):
  println('File offset ' + hex(fileOffset) + ' is associated with memory block:address ' + memBlockName + ':' + addr.toString());
  myCodeUnit = currentProgram.getListing().getCodeUnitContaining(addr)
  comment = myCodeUnit.getComment(0)
  if not comment:
    myCodeUnit.setComment(0, getScriptName() + ': File offset: ' + hex(fileOffset) + 
      ', Memory block:address ' + memBlockName + ':'+ addr.toString())
  else:
    myCodeUnit.setComment(0, comment + ' ' + getScriptName() + ': File offset: ' + hex(fileOffset) + 
      ', Memory block:address ' + memBlockName + ':' + addr.toString())

myFileOffset = getFileOffset()
mem = currentProgram.getMemory()

View on GitHub (pinned to d5f144c24d)

Solutions

1. Enter a plain hexadecimal value with digits 0-9 and a-f/A-F only, no '0x' prefix.
2. Strip an optional '0x'/'0X' prefix before validation.
3. Re-prompt the user on ValueError instead of failing the script.

Example fix

# before
try:
    int(userFileOffset,16)
except ValueError:
    raise ValueError('Please provide a hexadecimal file offset.')

# after - also accept a 0x prefix and re-prompt
userFileOffset = userFileOffset.strip()
if userFileOffset.lower().startswith('0x'):
    userFileOffset = userFileOffset[2:]
try:
    int(userFileOffset, 16)
except ValueError:
    raise ValueError('Please provide a hexadecimal file offset (digits 0-9, a-f).')

s = userFileOffset.strip()
if s.lower().startswith('0x'):
    s = s[2:]
if not s or not all(c in '0123456789abcdefABCDEF' for c in s):
    raise ValueError('Please provide a hexadecimal file offset.')

def is_hex(s):
    if s.lower().startswith('0x'):
        s = s[2:]
    return bool(s) and all(c in '0123456789abcdefABCDEF' for c in s)

try:
    off = getFileOffset()
except ValueError as e:
    if 'hexadecimal' in str(e):
        # re-prompt the user
        pass
    else:
        raise

When it happens

Trigger: User enters a non-hex string (e.g. 'xyz', '1g', '0x1f' with the 0x prefix, or empty) in the prompt. int('0x1f', 16) works but int('xyz',16) raises ValueError; int('',16) raises ValueError.

Common situations: User pastes a decimal offset. User includes a '0x' prefix inconsistently. User leaves the field blank. Typo in the hex string.

Related errors

• Offset cannot be a negative value.
• Offset cannot be a negative value.
• Could not get MD5 on file:
• Bad nodeSize: {}
• Invalid number of elements specified: {}

AI-assisted analysis of NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra@d5f144c24d (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ed8f2a0608e24490. Report an issue: GitHub.