Copying data between byte arrays

[Vitaly Zayko]

It's probably simple but I can't find a way how to copy number of bytes
from one byte array to another? Just like Array.Copy(SourceArray,
SourceIndex, DestArray, DestIndex, Length) does but in my case the
arrays have different length. Of course I can copy byte by byte but I
guess there should be a function for such task.
Thanks!

 

[Rainer Queck]

Hi Vitaly,

take a look at "Buffer.BlockCopy"

Rainer

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Using the same overload you've specified, it doesn't matter how long each
array is, as long as "DestArray" is at least "Length" in length, and the
difference between DestArray.Length and DestIndex is at least as long as
"Length."

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
You can lead a fish to a bicycle,
but you can't make it stink.

 

[Marc Gravell]

The length of the arrays should not cause any problems to Array.Copy; e.g.
the following copies the second 50 bytes of a 100 byte array into (roughly)
the middle of a 500 byte arraym then prints some of the contents to validate
this.

byte[] source = new byte[100];
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
source = (byte) i;
byte[] dest = new byte[500];
Array.Copy(source, 50, dest, 200, 50); // source array, source
start-offset, destination array, destination start-offset, items to copy
for (int i = 195; i < 255; i++)
Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", i, dest);

If you are going to copy the entire source array, source.CopyTo(dest,offset)
is an easier option - again, it doesn't need the arrays to be the same size,
as long as there is sufficient space in the destination.

Did I miss something in your question?

Marc

 

[Vitaly Zayko]

That's it! Thank you Rainer!

Hi Vitaly,

take a look at "Buffer.BlockCopy"

Rainer

 

[Vitaly Zayko]

Well, my question wasn't complete, I'm sorry:
actually source array is string type, and I tried to use
String.ToCharArray(). Destination is byte array. When I tried to use
Copy I've got ArrayTypeMismatchException. That's why it didn't work
using Copy and it did using Buffer.BlockCopy.
Thanks to everyone!
Vit

 

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Well, my question wasn't complete, I'm sorry:
actually source array is string type, and I tried to use
String.ToCharArray(). Destination is byte array. When I tried to use
Copy I've got ArrayTypeMismatchException. That's why it didn't work
using Copy and it did using Buffer.BlockCopy.

Hmm... that sounds like really you want Encoding.GetBytes() for the
appropriate encoding...