usage StringBuilder in byte to hex conversion

[stephaniee]

Hi,

May I know why I ahve to use StringBuilder in Byte to Hex conversion? I saw a lot of samples conversion using this method.

I have read stringbuilder article, but it doesnt provide any specific answer for my question.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[stephaniee]

this is the sample of ByteToHex conversion

private string ByteToHex(byte[] comByte)
        {
            
            StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(comByte.Length * 3);
            
            foreach (byte data in comByte)
          
            builder.Append(Convert.ToString(data, 16).PadLeft(2, '0').PadRight(3, ' '));
            //return the converted value
            return builder.ToString().ToUpper();
        }

[tlhintoq]

TIP: When you are writing your question, there is a button on the tool bar that wraps the [code] tags around your copy/pasted code. It helps a bunch. Its the button with a '#' on it. More on tags. They're cool. Check'em out.

[tlhintoq]

When you tried rewriting the method without using the StringBuilder, did it still work? (Trial and error teaches a lot)

You don't *have* to use a string builder, but in this case I would strongly recommend it.

If you only used a string then you will each a lot of memory because a string is not truly resizable. If you re-assign the value of a string there is some fancy trickery on the part of Microsoft where a new memory space is assigned to the variable containing your new value. If you do this a lot, like you will in this loop, then you eat/waste a lot of space - at least until garbage collection takes place.