[jbeninger]

If you're using a bespoke editor anyway, why are you restricting yourself to a texty format? XSV formats inhabit this weird space halfway between data exchange and human readable. They're a compromise. If you go full data exchange you might as well use something even better suited for the job.

[packetlost]

You don't really have to have a bespoke editor, you just have to display the control characters sanely in an otherwise normal plaintext editor and add a shortcut or menu item to insert the control characters.