Probably easier would be to /filter the contents of the edit into a file, then bread the file into a &binvar and hadd -b it to the table, reversing the process when you pull it out of the hash table. This method also has the added advantage of saving all the extra spaces, blank lines and any of the weird characters you care to type, as well.
Saving
[*] [color:black]var %filename = $+($scriptdir,$ticks,.temp)
[*] filter -if $dname ID %tempfile
[*] bread %tempfile 1 $file(%tempfile).size &file
[*] hadd -mb htable item &file
[*] remove %tempfile
Loading
[*] var %filename = $+($scriptdir,$ticks,.temp)
[*] !.echo -q $hget(htable, item, &file)
[*] bwrite %tempfile 1 $bvar(&file,0) &file
[*] filter -fo %tempfile $dname ID
[*] remove %tempfile
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