when viewing the general_log, the sql in the argument field is shown as a hex number, it should be decoded into the string!

When you enable logging thusly:

set global log_output = 'table'
set global general_log = 'on'

It logs sql to the mysql.general_log table.

However, it is impossible to view this table with the current version of heidiSQL (it used to work).

We need an option to automatically convert the "mediumblob" of the general_log table into the ASCII string it contains so we can review the logs. Otherwise it is impossible to debug SQL coming from a application server etc. Files are not an option as we don't have access to the FS.

Well, HeidiSQL has a button to enable text displaying for binary contents. Attaching the icon so you can find it better, on the main toolbar.

it used to work

then perhaps there should be 'argument(binary)' in column header or something else that would point out data type, as grid data coloring is same as string.

sometimes this is even more confusing like here; https://www.heidisql.com/forum.php?t=24478