Darryl, The patch certainly changes things. I can write the file now and preserve the '0xD'. Trouble is, when I hexl-find-file, that `0xD' is converted into a `0xA'. The underlying file is still OK. This whether or not I use -vanilla. When I do, the file comes up in `Raw' mode, but still does the switch on input. When I don't my default-major-mode, which is text-mode, seems to determine that the coding will be ISO8. The rest of the situation pertains: when I hexl-find-file the `0xD' becomes `0xA', but when I write, things are OK. I spoke too soon. When I describe the coding systems, I get this: Coding system for saving this buffer: ISO8:t -- iso-2022-8-mac Default coding system (for new files): ISO8 -- iso-2022-8 No no no, it's not true! With -vanilla, the story is similar: Coding system for saving this buffer: Raw:t -- raw-text-mac Default coding system (for new files): ISO8 -- iso-2022-8 Jan asked for a recipe, and I just realized that I am now one step removed from my original problem. This looks like a promising problem in its own right, though. Peter Darryl Okahata wrote: -- __ /__ Peter B. West pbwest(a)netscape.net / http://www.powerup.com.au/~pbwest / "Lord, to whom shall we go?"