C# converting byte array to string [duplicate]

Question

I'm trying to convert a byte array to a string in binary format, but Convert.ToString() returns unexpected results. Can you please tell me what am I doing wrong? Here is the code:

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        StringBuilder str = new StringBuilder();
        byte[] x = { 0xB1, 0x53, 0x63 };
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
        {
            str.Append(Convert.ToString(x[i], 2));
        }
        Console.WriteLine(str);
        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

The output is:

1011000110100111100011

I expected the output to be:

1011_0001_0101_0011_0110_0011 (0xB15363)

And not:

1011_0001_1010_0111_1000_11

have you googled this also SO has several examples as well stackoverflow.com/questions/11654562/… — MethodMan
– MethodMan, Commented Nov 10, 2014 at 22:58
I don't completely understand the question. Did you really expect there to be underscores? If not, please don't complicate the question by providing something other than the actual literal output that you expected, and which was output instead. — Peter Duniho
– Peter Duniho, Commented Nov 10, 2014 at 22:59
No, I did not expectet the output to contain underscores, I wanted to make it easier to read — Cristi
– Cristi, Commented Nov 10, 2014 at 23:01
The underscores made me assume that you were grouping by bytes (well, half bytes) so my first thought is that you were saying it was truncating the last two digits. Putting delimiters between bytes in the actual output would probably have made it more readable (and probably told you what the problem was given the answers given). — Chris
– Chris, Commented Nov 10, 2014 at 23:03

crthompson · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-10 23:02:35Z

3

If you pad with zeros you'll get the answer

public static void Main()
{        
    StringBuilder str = new StringBuilder();
    byte[] x = { 0xB1, 0x53, 0x63 };
    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
    {
        str.Append(Convert.ToString(x[i], 2).PadLeft(8, '0'));
    }
    Console.WriteLine(str);
    Console.ReadLine();
}

Fiddle

answered Nov 10, 2014 at 23:02

crthompson

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Comments

AlexD · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-10 23:01:08Z

3

Try

str.Append(Convert.ToString(x[i], 2).PadLeft(8, '0'));

answered Nov 10, 2014 at 23:01

AlexD

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1 Comment

AlexD Over a year ago

@Cristi As Vlad wrote, the issue is that there are no leading zeros. It is easy to see by adding an extra space between numbers.

Vlad · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-10 23:12:25Z

2

You actually just not get leading zeroes.

01010011 will be just 1010011.

You have to add leading zeroes by any of the possible methods (Convert.ToString doesn't seem to have needed overload). PadLeft is mentioned in other answers, adding new string('0', 8 - s.Length) will do as well (but requires a temporary).

edited Nov 10, 2014 at 23:12

answered Nov 10, 2014 at 22:58

Vlad

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3 Comments

Vlad Over a year ago

@DJKRAZE: This answers the question "what am I doing wrong".

MethodMan Over a year ago

before you edited it you just had a question not the coded results

Chris Over a year ago

I can't help think that a solution to the problem might be a bit more in keeping with the site too... Though other answers do that now anyway.

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