BitConverter.ToChar Method

Definition

Namespace:

System

Assemblies:

netstandard.dll, System.Runtime.dll

Overloads

ToChar(Byte[], Int32)	Returns a Unicode character converted from two bytes at a specified position in a byte array.
ToChar(ReadOnlySpan<Byte>)	Converts a read-only byte span into a character.

ToChar(Byte[], Int32)

Source:

BitConverter.cs

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

C#

public static char ToChar(byte[] value, int startIndex);

Parameters

value

Byte[]

An array that includes the two bytes to convert.

startIndex

Int32

The starting position within value.

Returns

Char

The character formed by two bytes beginning at startIndex.

Exceptions

ArgumentException

startIndex equals the length of value minus 1.

ArgumentNullException

value is null.

ArgumentOutOfRangeException

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

Examples

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

C#

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

class BytesToCharDemo
{
    const string formatter = "{0,5}{1,17}{2,8}";

    // Convert two byte array elements to a char and display it.
    public static void BAToChar( byte[] bytes, int index )
    {
        char value = BitConverter.ToChar( bytes, index );

        Console.WriteLine( formatter, index,
            BitConverter.ToString( bytes, index, 2 ), value );
    }

    public static void Main( )
    {
        byte[] 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( byte[ ], " +
            "int ) \nmethod generates the following output. It " +
            "converts \nelements of a byte array to char values.\n" );
        Console.WriteLine( "initial byte array" );
        Console.WriteLine( "------------------" );
        Console.WriteLine( BitConverter.ToString( byteArray ) );
        Console.WriteLine( );
        Console.WriteLine( formatter, "index", "array elements", "char" );
        Console.WriteLine( formatter, "-----", "--------------", "----" );

        // Convert byte array elements to char 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(byte[ ], int)
method generates the following output. It converts
elements of a byte array to char values.

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

index   array elements    char
-----   --------------    ----
    0            20-00
    1            00-00
    3            2A-00       *
    5            41-00       A
    7            7D-00       }
    9            C5-00       Å
   11            A8-03       Ψ
   13            29-04       Щ
   15            AC-20       €
*/

Remarks

The ToChar method converts the bytes from index startIndex to startIndex + 1 to a Char value. The order of bytes in the array must reflect the endianness of the computer system's architecture. For more information, see the Remarks section of the BitConverter class topic.

See also

• GetBytes(Char)

ToChar(ReadOnlySpan<Byte>)

Source:

BitConverter.cs

Converts a read-only byte span into a character.

C#

public static char ToChar(ReadOnlySpan<byte> value);

Parameters

value

ReadOnlySpan<Byte>

A read-only span containing the bytes to convert.

Returns

Char

A character representing the converted bytes.

Exceptions

ArgumentOutOfRangeException

The length of value is less than the length of a Char.