This documentation is archived and is not being maintained.

BitConverter::ToChar Method

Returns a Unicode character converted from two bytes at a specified position in a byte array.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

public:
static wchar_t ToChar(
	array<unsigned char>^ value, 
	int startIndex
)

Parameters

value
Type: array<System::Byte>
An array.
startIndex
Type: System::Int32
The starting position within value.

Return Value

Type: System::Char
A character formed by two bytes beginning at startIndex.

ExceptionCondition
ArgumentException

startIndex equals the length of value minus 1.

ArgumentNullException

value is nullptr.

ArgumentOutOfRangeException

startIndex is less than zero or greater than the length of value minus 1.

The following code example converts elements of Byte arrays to Char values (Unicode characters) with the ToChar method.


// Example of the BitConverter::ToChar method.
using namespace System;

// Convert two byte array elements to a __wchar_t and display it.
void BAToChar( array<unsigned char>^bytes, int index )
{
   __wchar_t value = BitConverter::ToChar( bytes, index );
   Console::WriteLine( "{0,5}{1,17}{2,11}", index, BitConverter::ToString( bytes, index, 2 ), value );
}

int main()
{
   array<unsigned char>^byteArray = {32,0,0,42,0,65,0,125,0,197,0,168,3,41,4,172,32};
   Console::WriteLine( "This example of the BitConverter::ToChar( unsigned "
   "char[ ], int ) \nmethod generates the following output. It "
   "converts elements of a \nbyte array to __wchar_t values.\n" );
   Console::WriteLine( "initial unsigned char array" );
   Console::WriteLine( "---------------------------" );
   Console::WriteLine( BitConverter::ToString( byteArray ) );
   Console::WriteLine();
   Console::WriteLine( "{0,5}{1,17}{2,11}", "index", "array elements", "__wchar_t" );
   Console::WriteLine( "{0,5}{1,17}{2,11}", "-----", "--------------", "---------" );

   // Convert byte array elements to __wchar_t values.
   BAToChar( byteArray, 0 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 1 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 3 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 5 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 7 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 9 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 11 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 13 );
   BAToChar( byteArray, 15 );
}

/*
This example of the BitConverter::ToChar( unsigned char[ ], int )
method generates the following output. It converts elements of a
byte array to __wchar_t values.

initial unsigned char array
---------------------------
20-00-00-2A-00-41-00-7D-00-C5-00-A8-03-29-04-AC-20

index   array elements  __wchar_t
-----   --------------  ---------
    0            20-00
    1            00-00
    3            2A-00          *
    5            41-00          A
    7            7D-00          }
    9            C5-00          �
   11            A8-03          ?
   13            29-04          ?
   15            AC-20          ?
*/


.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Portable Class Library

Supported in: Portable Class Library

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Show: