How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

[Charles Law]

I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth of
conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted than
imagined.

Given the following

<code>
Dim ba(1) As Byte
Dim b As Byte

ba(0) = &h4
ba(1) = &h0

b = foo(ba)
</code>

What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?

TIA

Charles
[I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a succinct
conversion for it]

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

* "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> scripsit:[color=blue]
> I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth of
> conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted than
> imagined.
>
> Given the following
>
> <code>
> Dim ba(1) As Byte
> Dim b As Byte
>
> ba(0) = &h4
> ba(1) = &h0
>
> b = foo(ba)
> </code>
>
> What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
>
> TIA
>
> Charles
> [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a succinct
> conversion for it][/color]

There can be many functions...

\\\
Public Function Foo(ByVal abyt() As Byte) As Byte
Return &H40
End Function
///

SCNR

--
Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Hi Herfried

As I was making coffee I realised my mistake (in the post). It should read

<code>
Dim ba(1) As Byte
Dim b As Byte

ba(0) = &h34
ba(1) = &h30

b = foo(ba)
</code>

Still looking for foo() such that b contains &h40.

Charles


"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.at> wrote in message
news:Ocxca78REH A.624@TK2MSFTNG P11.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> * "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> scripsit:[color=green]
> > I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth of
> > conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted than
> > imagined.
> >
> > Given the following
> >
> > <code>
> > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > Dim b As Byte
> >
> > ba(0) = &h4
> > ba(1) = &h0
> >
> > b = foo(ba)
> > </code>
> >
> > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Charles
> > [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a[/color][/color]
succinct[color=blue][color=green]
> > conversion for it][/color]
>
> There can be many functions...
>
> \\\
> Public Function Foo(ByVal abyt() As Byte) As Byte
> Return &H40
> End Function
> ///
>
> SCNR
>
> --
> Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
> <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>[/color]

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Correction

Given the following

<code>
Dim ba(1) As Byte
Dim b As Byte

ba(0) = &h34
ba(1) = &h30

b = foo(ba)
</code>

What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?

TIA

Charles


"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> wrote in message
news:uyq$it8REH A.1644@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth of
> conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted than
> imagined.
>
> Given the following
>
> <code>
> Dim ba(1) As Byte
> Dim b As Byte
>
> ba(0) = &h4
> ba(1) = &h0
>
> b = foo(ba)
> </code>
>
> What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
>
> TIA
>
> Charles
> [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a succinct
> conversion for it]
>
>[/color]

[Armin Zingler]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=blue]
> I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth
> of conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted
> than imagined.
>
> Given the following
>
> <code>
> Dim ba(1) As Byte
> Dim b As Byte
>
> ba(0) = &h4
> ba(1) = &h0
>
> b = foo(ba)
> </code>
>
> What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
>
> TIA
>
> Charles
> [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a
> succinct conversion for it][/color]


What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?

If both are [0; &HF]:

b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)


--
Armin

How to quote and why:

http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html

http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Hi Armin

Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow coming
through. I should have written

ba(0) = &h34
ba(1) = &h30

Charles


"Armin Zingler" <az.nospam@free net.de> wrote in message
news:40bc7455$0 $24816$9b622d9e @news.freenet.d e...[color=blue]
> "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=green]
> > I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth
> > of conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted
> > than imagined.
> >
> > Given the following
> >
> > <code>
> > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > Dim b As Byte
> >
> > ba(0) = &h4
> > ba(1) = &h0
> >
> > b = foo(ba)
> > </code>
> >
> > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Charles
> > [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a
> > succinct conversion for it][/color]
>
>
> What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
>
> If both are [0; &HF]:
>
> b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)
>
>
> --
> Armin
>
> How to quote and why:
> http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html
> http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
>[/color]

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

* "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> scripsit:[color=blue]
> Given the following
>
> <code>
> Dim ba(1) As Byte
> Dim b As Byte
>
> ba(0) = &h34
> ba(1) = &h30
>
> b = foo(ba)
> </code>
>
> What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?[/color]

There are still thousands of ways to return this result. Do you have
other (input, outpuut) pairs?

--
Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>

[Armin Zingler]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> > > Given the following
> > >
> > > <code>
> > > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > > Dim b As Byte
> > >
> > > ba(0) = &h4
> > > ba(1) = &h0
> > >
> > > b = foo(ba)
> > > </code>
> > >
> > > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?[/color]
> >
> > What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
> >
> > If both are [0; &HF]:
> >
> > b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)[/color]
>
> Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow
> coming through. I should have written
>
> ba(0) = &h34
> ba(1) = &h30[/color]

Expected result? &H3430?

Dim ba(1) As Byte
Dim s As Short

ba(0) = &H34
ba(1) = &H30

s = CShort(ba(0)) << 8 Or ba(1)


If you can exchange the byte order, this is also possible:

s = System.BitConve rter.ToInt16(ba , 0)



--
Armin

How to quote and why:

http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html

http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Thousands? I only need one ;-)

This is currently the only scenario. As a stop-gap, I have

<code>
Dim enc As New Text.ASCIIEncod ing

Return CByte("&H" & enc.GetString(b a))
</code>

which I imagine you will say is as good as any, but prepending "&H" to the
string just seems a bit 'kludgy'.

Charles


"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.at> wrote in message
news:u6QyDd9REH A.4020@TK2MSFTN GP11.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> * "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> scripsit:[color=green]
> > Given the following
> >
> > <code>
> > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > Dim b As Byte
> >
> > ba(0) = &h34
> > ba(1) = &h30
> >
> > b = foo(ba)
> > </code>
> >
> > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?[/color]
>
> There are still thousands of ways to return this result. Do you have
> other (input, outpuut) pairs?
>
> --
> Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
> <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>[/color]

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Hi Armin

No. Expected result still &H40.

Unfortunately, I cannot easily change the byte order as these are sent to me
from an external source, as binary coded hex digits.

Charles


"Armin Zingler" <az.nospam@free net.de> wrote in message
news:40bc7db4$0 $24800$9b622d9e @news.freenet.d e...[color=blue]
> "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > > Given the following
> > > >
> > > > <code>
> > > > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > > > Dim b As Byte
> > > >
> > > > ba(0) = &h4
> > > > ba(1) = &h0
> > > >
> > > > b = foo(ba)
> > > > </code>
> > > >
> > > > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> > >
> > > What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
> > >
> > > If both are [0; &HF]:
> > >
> > > b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)[/color]
> >
> > Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow
> > coming through. I should have written
> >
> > ba(0) = &h34
> > ba(1) = &h30[/color]
>
> Expected result? &H3430?
>
> Dim ba(1) As Byte
> Dim s As Short
>
> ba(0) = &H34
> ba(1) = &H30
>
> s = CShort(ba(0)) << 8 Or ba(1)
>
>
> If you can exchange the byte order, this is also possible:
>
> s = System.BitConve rter.ToInt16(ba , 0)
>
>
>
> --
> Armin
>
> How to quote and why:
> http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html
> http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
>[/color]

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Charles,
Use Armin's code, only anding with &hf first.

Public Function Foo(ByVal bytes() As Byte) As Byte
Const mask As Byte = &HF
Return (bytes(0) And mask) << 4 Or (bytes(1) And mask)
End Function

Hope this helps
Jay

"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> wrote in message
news:uQ3AvO9REH A.3608@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Hi Armin
>
> Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow coming
> through. I should have written
>
> ba(0) = &h34
> ba(1) = &h30
>
> Charles
>
>
> "Armin Zingler" <az.nospam@free net.de> wrote in message
> news:40bc7455$0 $24816$9b622d9e @news.freenet.d e...[color=green]
> > "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=darkred]
> > > I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth
> > > of conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted
> > > than imagined.
> > >
> > > Given the following
> > >
> > > <code>
> > > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > > Dim b As Byte
> > >
> > > ba(0) = &h4
> > > ba(1) = &h0
> > >
> > > b = foo(ba)
> > > </code>
> > >
> > > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> > >
> > > TIA
> > >
> > > Charles
> > > [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a
> > > succinct conversion for it][/color]
> >
> >
> > What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
> >
> > If both are [0; &HF]:
> >
> > b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)
> >
> >
> > --
> > Armin
> >
> > How to quote and why:
> > http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html
> > http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Charles Law]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Hi Jay

Thanks. I was trying to avoid byte shifting and masking if possible. I had
hoped that there was a higher level solution, using a combination of the
Convert class and perhaps Encoding/Decoding. There seem to be so many ways
of performing conversions that I thought there must be one to translate
binary code hex. For example, what about foo() where

Dim s As String
Dim b As Byte

s = "40"

b = foo(s)

to give b equal to &H40. Clearly, I can put &H on the beginning of the
string and use CByte(), as I put in my response to Herfried, but that just
seems low-tech. After all, there is a way to create a hex string from a
byte:

Convert.ToStrin g(&H40, 16) gives "40"

so isn't there something to do the reverse?

Charles


"Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]" <Jay_Harlow_MVP @msn.com> wrote in message
news:ejvTUy9REH A.2604@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Charles,
> Use Armin's code, only anding with &hf first.
>
> Public Function Foo(ByVal bytes() As Byte) As Byte
> Const mask As Byte = &HF
> Return (bytes(0) And mask) << 4 Or (bytes(1) And mask)
> End Function
>
> Hope this helps
> Jay
>
> "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> wrote in message
> news:uQ3AvO9REH A.3608@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=green]
> > Hi Armin
> >
> > Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow coming
> > through. I should have written
> >
> > ba(0) = &h34
> > ba(1) = &h30
> >
> > Charles
> >
> >
> > "Armin Zingler" <az.nospam@free net.de> wrote in message
> > news:40bc7455$0 $24816$9b622d9e @news.freenet.d e...[color=darkred]
> > > "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb
> > > > I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth
> > > > of conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted
> > > > than imagined.
> > > >
> > > > Given the following
> > > >
> > > > <code>
> > > > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > > > Dim b As Byte
> > > >
> > > > ba(0) = &h4
> > > > ba(1) = &h0
> > > >
> > > > b = foo(ba)
> > > > </code>
> > > >
> > > > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> > > >
> > > > TIA
> > > >
> > > > Charles
> > > > [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a
> > > > succinct conversion for it]
> > >
> > >
> > > What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
> > >
> > > If both are [0; &HF]:
> > >
> > > b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Armin
> > >
> > > How to quote and why:
> > > http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html
> > > http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
> > >[/color]
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

Charles,[color=blue]
> Thanks. I was trying to avoid byte shifting and masking if possible. I had[/color]
Only via the various methods previously mentioned (BitConverter)
[color=blue]
> Convert.ToStrin g(&H40, 16) gives "40"
> so isn't there something to do the reverse?[/color]

You mean?

Dim s As String = b.ToString("X")

Hope this helps
Jay

"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> wrote in message
news:%23IIGB79R EHA.3988@tk2msf tngp13.phx.gbl. ..[color=blue]
> Hi Jay
>
> Thanks. I was trying to avoid byte shifting and masking if possible. I had
> hoped that there was a higher level solution, using a combination of the
> Convert class and perhaps Encoding/Decoding. There seem to be so many ways
> of performing conversions that I thought there must be one to translate
> binary code hex. For example, what about foo() where
>
> Dim s As String
> Dim b As Byte
>
> s = "40"
>
> b = foo(s)
>
> to give b equal to &H40. Clearly, I can put &H on the beginning of the
> string and use CByte(), as I put in my response to Herfried, but that just
> seems low-tech. After all, there is a way to create a hex string from a
> byte:
>
> Convert.ToStrin g(&H40, 16) gives "40"
>
> so isn't there something to do the reverse?
>
> Charles
>
>
> "Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]" <Jay_Harlow_MVP @msn.com> wrote in message
> news:ejvTUy9REH A.2604@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=green]
> > Charles,
> > Use Armin's code, only anding with &hf first.
> >
> > Public Function Foo(ByVal bytes() As Byte) As Byte
> > Const mask As Byte = &HF
> > Return (bytes(0) And mask) << 4 Or (bytes(1) And mask)
> > End Function
> >
> > Hope this helps
> > Jay
> >
> > "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> wrote in message
> > news:uQ3AvO9REH A.3608@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=darkred]
> > > Hi Armin
> > >
> > > Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit slow[/color][/color][/color]
coming[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> > > through. I should have written
> > >
> > > ba(0) = &h34
> > > ba(1) = &h30
> > >
> > > Charles
> > >
> > >
> > > "Armin Zingler" <az.nospam@free net.de> wrote in message
> > > news:40bc7455$0 $24816$9b622d9e @news.freenet.d e...
> > > > "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb
> > > > > I thought this was going to be straight forward, given the wealth
> > > > > of conversion functions in .NET, but it is proving more convoluted
> > > > > than imagined.
> > > > >
> > > > > Given the following
> > > > >
> > > > > <code>
> > > > > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > > > > Dim b As Byte
> > > > >
> > > > > ba(0) = &h4
> > > > > ba(1) = &h0
> > > > >
> > > > > b = foo(ba)
> > > > > </code>
> > > > >
> > > > > What is foo() such that b contains &h40 ?
> > > > >
> > > > > TIA
> > > > >
> > > > > Charles
> > > > > [I could write an algorithm for this, but there must surely be a
> > > > > succinct conversion for it]
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > What if ba(0) or ba(1) > &Hf?
> > > >
> > > > If both are [0; &HF]:
> > > >
> > > > b = ba(0) << 4 or ba(1)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Armin
> > > >
> > > > How to quote and why:
> > > > http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html
> > > > http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
> > > >
> > >
> > >[/color]
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Armin Zingler]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

"Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> schrieb[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
> > >
> > > Sorry for the confusion, but I think my correction is a bit
> > > slow coming through. I should have written
> > >
> > > ba(0) = &h34
> > > ba(1) = &h30[/color]
> >
> > Expected result? &H3430?
> >
> > Dim ba(1) As Byte
> > Dim s As Short
> >
> > ba(0) = &H34
> > ba(1) = &H30
> >
> > s = CShort(ba(0)) << 8 Or ba(1)
> >
> >
> > If you can exchange the byte order, this is also possible:
> >
> > s = System.BitConve rter.ToInt16(ba , 0)[/color]
>
> No. Expected result still &H40.[/color]


How do you get &H40 from &H34 and &H30 ??


Aaah.. now I understand. Both values are character codes. You should have
mentioned! :-)

dim b as byte

b = System.Convert. ToByte(Chr(ba(0 )) & Chr(ba(1)), 16)

Or, for performance reasons:

Dim c(1) As Char
c(0) = Convert.ToChar( ba(0))
c(1) = Convert.ToChar( ba(1))
b = System.Convert. ToByte(New String(c), 16)

You may also consider declaring c as static (static c(1) as char).


.....


Another (untested!) version:

Private Function foo(ByVal b As Byte()) As Byte
Static b0, b1 As Byte

Select Case b(0)
Case Is > 70
b0 = b(0) - CByte(87)
Case Is > 57
b0 = b(0) - CByte(55)
Case Else
b0 = b(0) - CByte(48)
End Select

Select Case b(1)
Case Is > 70
b1 = b(1) - CByte(87)
Case Is > 57
b1 = b(1) - CByte(55)
Case Else
b1 = b(1) - CByte(48)
End Select


Return (b0 << 4) Or b1

End Function



--
Armin

How to quote and why:

http://www.plig.net/nnq/nquote.html

http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to Convert Binary Coded Hex Byte Array to Byte

* "Charles Law" <blank@nowhere. com> scripsit:[color=blue]
> Thousands? I only need one ;-)[/color]

Sorry, for some reason, I misread the thread of the topic...

--
Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>