converting string of ascii character decimal values to binary values

Question

I need help writing a program that converts full sentences to binary code (ascii -> decimal ->binary), and vice-versa, but I am having trouble doing it. Right now I am working on ascii->binary.

ascii characters have decimal values. a = 97, b = 98, etc. I want to get the decimal value of an ascii character and convert it to a dinary or binary decimal, like 10 (in decimal) in binary is simply:

10 (decimal) == 1010 (binary)

So the ascii decimal value of a and b is:

97, 98

This in binary is (plus the space character which is 32, thanks):

11000011000001100010 == "a b"

11000011100010 == "ab"

I have written this:

int c_to_b(char c)
{
    return (printf("%d", (c ^= 64 ^= 32 ^= 16 ^= 8 ^= 4 ^= 2 ^= 1 ^= 0));
}

int s_to_b(char *s)
{
    long bin_buf = 0;

    for (int i = 0; s[i] != '\0'; i++)
    {
        bin_buf += s[i] ^= 64 ^= 32 ^= 16 ^= 8 ^= 4 ^= 2 ^= 1 ^= 0;
    }

    return printf("%d", bin_buf);
}

code examples

main.c

int main(void)
{
    // this should print out each binary value for each character in this string
    // eg: h = 104, e = 101
    // print decimal to binary 104 and 101 which would be equivalent to:
    // 11010001100101
    // s_to_b returns printf so it should print automatically
    s_to_b("hello, world!");
    return 0;
}

To elaborate, the for loop in the second snippet loops through each character in the character array until it hits the null terminator. Each time it counts a character, it gets does that operation. Am I using the right operation?

You may need to narrow this down to something more specific. Generally "doesn't work, do it for me" isn't very productive. — i_am_jorf
– i_am_jorf, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 6:06
Why do you code c ^= 64 which means c = c ^ 64 ? And I don't understand if it is homework, and what is your requirement?? — Basile Starynkevitch
– Basile Starynkevitch, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 6:10
You might need to re-thing your understanding of character sets. Everything in a computer is represented in binary, thus ASCII is a "binary code" in the sense that every ASCII character is a number represented in binary. Perhaps you should give an example of the desired transformation as well as a detailed descriptions of how it should work. — André Caron
– André Caron, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 6:12
Your description is still unclear. It seems there are hidden rules, such as spaces. A space is character 32 in ASCII, which would give it a binay code of 00100000, making "a b" map to "1100001001000001100010", not "1100001 1100010". — André Caron
– André Caron, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 6:27

Basile Starynkevitch · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-27 06:44:00Z

2

Maybe you want something like

void s_to_b(const char*s)
{
  if (s != NULL) {
     while (*s) {
        int c = *s;
        printf(" %d", c);
        s++;
     }
     putc('\n');
  }
}

answered Dec 27, 2011 at 6:44

Basile Starynkevitch

231k18 gold badges323 silver badges578 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

evolon696 Over a year ago

yes exactly like this, but i believe it prints out the characters in decimal (it printed values over 1, like 9). is there a way to make the characters print out in binary rather than decimal?

Basile Starynkevitch Over a year ago

Code a function print_in_binary and replace the call to printf with print_in_binary(c);

evolon696 Over a year ago

here is what i came up with: int print_in_binary(char c) { int q = c; while ((q / 2) != 0) { q = (c / 2); } printf(" %d", q); }

Basile Starynkevitch Over a year ago

This probably prints the bits but from last to first. You should put them in an array first, then display in reverse order.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

converting string of ascii character decimal values to binary values

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related