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BitConverter.GetBytes Method (Char)

Microsoft Silverlight will reach end of support after October 2021. Learn more.

Returns the specified Unicode character value as an array of bytes.

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

Syntax

'Declaration
Public Shared Function GetBytes ( _
    value As Char _
) As Byte()
public static byte[] GetBytes(
    char value
)

Parameters

Return Value

Type: array<System.Byte[]
An array of bytes with length 2.

Examples

The following code example converts the bit patterns of Char values (Unicode characters) to Byte arrays with the GetBytes method.

' Example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( Char ) method.

Module Example

   Const formatter As String = "{0,10}{1,16}"

   ' Convert a Char argument to a Byte array and display it.
   Sub GetBytesChar(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock, ByVal argument As Char)

      Dim byteArray As Byte() = BitConverter.GetBytes(argument)
      outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(formatter, argument, _
          BitConverter.ToString(byteArray)) & vbCrLf
   End Sub

   Public Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)

      outputBlock.Text &= String.Format( _
          "This example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( Char ) " & _
          vbCrLf & "method generates the following " & _
          "output." & vbCrLf) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(formatter, "Char", "Byte array") & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text &= String.Format(formatter, "----", "----------") & vbCrLf

      ' Convert Char values and display the results.
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, Chr(0))
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, " "c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "*"c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "3"c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "A"c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "["c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "a"c)
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, "{"c)
   End Sub
End Module

' This example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( Char )
' method generates the following output.
' 
'       Char      Byte array
'       ----      ----------
'                      00-00
'                      20-00
'          *           2A-00
'          3           33-00
'          A           41-00
'          [           5B-00
'          a           61-00
'          {           7B-00
// Example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( char ) method.
using System;

class Example
{
   const string formatter = "{0,10}{1,16}";

   // Convert a char argument to a byte array and display it.
   public static void GetBytesChar(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock, char argument)
   {
      byte[] byteArray = BitConverter.GetBytes(argument);
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format(formatter, argument,
          BitConverter.ToString(byteArray)) + "\n";
   }

   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format(
          "This example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( char ) " +
          "\nmethod generates the following output.\r\n") + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format(formatter, "char", "byte array") + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format(formatter, "----", "----------") + "\n";

      // Convert char values and display the results.
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, '\0');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, ' ');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, '*');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, '3');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, 'A');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, '[');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, 'a');
      GetBytesChar(outputBlock, '{');
   }
}

/*
This example of the BitConverter.GetBytes( char )
method generates the following output.

      char      byte array
      ----      ----------
                     00-00
                     20-00
         *           2A-00
         3           33-00
         A           41-00
         [           5B-00
         a           61-00
         {           7B-00
*/

Version Information

Silverlight

Supported in: 5, 4, 3

Silverlight for Windows Phone

Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: Xbox 360, Windows Phone OS 7.0

Platforms

For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.