How to reverse engineer binary file formats for compatibility purposes

Question

I am working of a file preparation software to enable translators work easily and efficiently on a wide range of file formats.

As far as text-based formats (xml, ph

Answer 1

I know that you want to reverse engineer them - but since these may be propriety file formats you are looking at a very steep curve trying to decode them...

Some (as I have written some propritety formats for interal use before) have specific methods and objects written into them that serve some alternative process than the file contents themselves. Stuff that would prove the new file is illegal.

Just my 2 cents and I am no lawyer =>