C# | BitConverter.ToString(Byte[]) Method

This method is used to convert the numeric value of each element of a specified array of bytes to its equivalent hexadecimal string representation.

Syntax:

public static string ToString (byte[] value);

Here, the value is an array of bytes.

Return Value: This method returns a string of hexadecimal pairs separated by hyphens, where each pair represents the corresponding element in value. For example, “6E-1D-9A-00”.

Exception: This method throws ArgumentNullException if the byte array or you can say value is null.

Below programs illustrate the use of BitConverter.ToString(Byte[]) Method:

Example 1:

// C# program to demonstrate
// BitConverter.ToString(Byte[]);
// Method
using System;

public class GFG {

    // Main Method
    public static void Main()
    {

        try {

            // Define an array of byte values.
            byte[] array1 = {0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16,
                             32, 64, 128, 255};

            // Display the values of the myArr.
            Console.Write("Initial Array: ");

            // calling the PrintIndexAndValues()
            // method to print
            PrintIndexAndValues(array1);

            // Getting hex string of byte values
            string value = BitConverter.ToString(array1);

            // Display the string
            Console.Write("string: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", value);
        }
        catch (ArgumentNullException e) {

            Console.Write("Exception Thrown: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", e.GetType(), e.Message);
        }
    }

    // Defining the method
    // PrintIndexAndValues
    public static void PrintIndexAndValues(byte[] myArr)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < myArr.Length; i++) {

            Console.Write("{0} ", myArr[i]);
        }
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine();
    }
}

Output:

Initial Array: 0 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 255 

string: 00-01-02-04-08-10-20-40-80-FF

Example 2: For ArgumentNullException

// C# program to demonstrate
// BitConverter.ToString(Byte[]);
// Method
using System;

public class GFG {

    // Main Method
    public static void Main()
    {

        try {

            // Define an array of byte values.
            byte[] array1 = null;

            // Getting hex string of byte values
            string value = BitConverter.ToString(array1);

            // Display the string
            Console.Write("string: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", value);
        }
        catch (ArgumentNullException e) {

            Console.Write("Exception Thrown: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", e.GetType(), e.Message);
        }
    }
}

Output:

Exception Thrown: System.ArgumentNullException

Reference:

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.bitconverter.tostring?view=netframework-4.7.2#System_BitConverter_ToString_System_Byte___