#!/bin/bash --posix
# Using OSX 10.7.5, bash default terminal...
# Alt-8 = • - zero...
bin_zero="•"
# Alt-7 = ¶ - newline...
new_line="¶"
# Alt-6 = § - escape...
esc_char="§"
# A simple string using •, ¶, and § as a real binary substitutes.
#
echo $bin_zero"This is a binary "$bin_zero$new_line$esc_char" zero, newline and escape character cop-out."$esc_char$bin_zero$new_line > /tmp/bin.dat
# Check it and echo has included a newline character for added fun...
hexdump -C /tmp/bin.dat
#
read bin_text < /tmp/bin.dat
echo "$bin_text"
# Newline is stripped as expected...
#
# Now sawp extended characters into escape characters.
text=$(echo "$bin_text" | sed 's/•/\\0/g;s/¶/\\n/g;s/§/\\\\/g')
# Done!
# Put escape charatcer version of string into a file.
echo -n "$text" > /tmp/newbin.dat
# Done!
# Check that escape charaters for _newline_ and zero exist.
hexdump -C /tmp/newbin.dat
echo "$text"
# Done
# Now resave to the real file with binary 0x00s and 0x0A.
echo -e -n "$text" > /tmp/newbin.dat
# Done
# Prove it exists.
hexdump -C /tmp/newbin.dat
echo "Now converted to binary using extended characters..."
# Yup, it does...

Now converted to binary using extended characters...
AMIGA:barrywalker~> ./bin_test.sh
00000000  e2 80 a2 54 68 69 73 20  69 73 20 61 20 62 69 6e  |...This is a bin|
00000010  61 72 79 20 e2 80 a2 c2  b6 c2 a7 20 7a 65 72 6f  |ary ....... zero|
00000020  2c 20 6e 65 77 6c 69 6e  65 20 61 6e 64 20 65 73  |, newline and es|
00000030  63 61 70 65 20 63 68 61  72 61 63 74 65 72 20 63  |cape character c|
00000040  6f 70 2d 6f 75 74 2e c2  a7 e2 80 a2 c2 b6 0a     |op-out.........|
0000004f
•This is a binary •¶§ zero, newline and escape character cop-out.§•¶
00000000  5c 30 54 68 69 73 20 69  73 20 61 20 62 69 6e 61  |\0This is a bina|
00000010  72 79 20 5c 30 5c 6e 5c  5c 20 7a 65 72 6f 2c 20  |ry \0\n\\ zero, |
00000020  6e 65 77 6c 69 6e 65 20  61 6e 64 20 65 73 63 61  |newline and esca|
00000030  70 65 20 63 68 61 72 61  63 74 65 72 20 63 6f 70  |pe character cop|
00000040  2d 6f 75 74 2e 5c 5c 5c  30 5c 6e                 |-out.\\\0\n|
0000004b
\0This is a binary \0\n\\ zero, newline and escape character cop-out.\\\0\n
00000000  00 54 68 69 73 20 69 73  20 61 20 62 69 6e 61 72  |.This is a binar|
00000010  79 20 00 0a 5c 20 7a 65  72 6f 2c 20 6e 65 77 6c  |y ..\ zero, newl|
00000020  69 6e 65 20 61 6e 64 20  65 73 63 61 70 65 20 63  |ine and escape c|
00000030  68 61 72 61 63 74 65 72  20 63 6f 70 2d 6f 75 74  |haracter cop-out|
00000040  2e 5c 00 0a                                       |.\..|
00000044
Now converted to binary using extended characters...
AMIGA:barrywalker~>