How do i convert HexString To ByteArray in Swift 3 - swift

Question

I'm was trying to convert hexString to Array of Bytes([UInt8]) I searched everywhere but couldn't find a solution. Below is my swift 2 code
func stringToBytes(_ string: String) -> [UInt8]? {
let chars = Array(string)
let length = chars.count
if length & 1 != 0 {
return nil
}
var bytes = [UInt8]()
bytes.reserveCapacity(length/2)
for var i = 0; i < length; i += 2 {
if let a = find(hexChars, chars[i]),
let b = find(hexChars, chars[i+1]) {
bytes.append(UInt8(a << 4) + UInt8(b))
} else {
return nil
}
}
return bytes
}
Example Hex
Hex : "7661706f72"
expectedOutput : "vapor"

Answer 1

This code can generate the same output as your swift 2 code.
func stringToBytes(_ string: String) -> [UInt8]? {
let length = string.characters.count
if length & 1 != 0 {
return nil
}
var bytes = [UInt8]()
bytes.reserveCapacity(length/2)
var index = string.startIndex
for _ in 0..<length/2 {
let nextIndex = string.index(index, offsetBy: 2)
if let b = UInt8(string[index..<nextIndex], radix: 16) {
bytes.append(b)
} else {
return nil
}
index = nextIndex
}
return bytes
}
let bytes = stringToBytes("7661706f72")
print(String(bytes: bytes!, encoding: .utf8)) //->Optional("vapor")

Answer 2

Here is a sketch of how I'd do it in a more idiomatic Swift style (this might be Swift 4 only):
func toPairsOfChars(pairs: [String], string: String) -> [String] {
if string.count == 0 {
return pairs
}
var pairsMod = pairs
pairsMod.append(String(string.prefix(2)))
return toPairsOfChars(pairs: pairsMod, string: String(string.dropFirst(2)))
}
func stringToBytes(_ string: String) -> [UInt8]? {
// omit error checking: remove '0x', make sure even, valid chars
let pairs = toPairsOfChars(pairs: [], string: string)
return pairs.map { UInt8($0, radix: 16)! }
}

Answer 3

Following code may be help for you
extension String {
/// Create `Data` from hexadecimal string representation
///
/// This takes a hexadecimal representation and creates a `Data` object. Note, if the string has any spaces or non-hex characters (e.g. starts with '<' and with a '>'), those are ignored and only hex characters are processed.
///
/// - returns: Data represented by this hexadecimal string.
func hexadecimal() -> Data? {
var data = Data(capacity: characters.count / 2)
let regex = try! NSRegularExpression(pattern: "[0-9a-f]{1,2}", options: .caseInsensitive)
regex.enumerateMatches(in: self, options: [], range: NSMakeRange(0, characters.count)) { match, flags, stop in
let byteString = (self as NSString).substring(with: match!.range)
var num = UInt8(byteString, radix: 16)!
data.append(&num, count: 1)
}
guard data.count > 0 else {
return nil
}
return data
}
}
extension String {
/// Create `String` representation of `Data` created from hexadecimal string representation
///
/// This takes a hexadecimal representation and creates a String object from that. Note, if the string has any spaces, those are removed. Also if the string started with a `<` or ended with a `>`, those are removed, too.
init?(hexadecimal string: String) {
guard let data = string.hexadecimal() else {
return nil
}
self.init(data: data, encoding: .utf8)
}
/// - parameter encoding: The `NSStringCoding` that indicates how the string should be converted to `NSData` before performing the hexadecimal conversion.
/// - returns: `String` representation of this String object.
func hexadecimalString() -> String? {
return data(using: .utf8)?
.hexadecimal()
}
}
extension Data {
/// Create hexadecimal string representation of `Data` object.
/// - returns: `String` representation of this `Data` object.
func hexadecimal() -> String {
return map { String(format: "%02x", $0) }
.joined(separator: "")
}
}
Use like this :
let hexString = "68656c6c 6f2c2077 6f726c64"
print(String(hexadecimalString: hexString))
Or
let originalString = "hello, world"
print(originalString.hexadecimalString())

Answer 4

After lot searching and thinking here is how you do it
func toByteArray( _ hex:String ) -> [UInt8] {
// remove "-" from Hexadecimal
var hexString = hex.removeWord( "-" )
let size = hexString.characters.count / 2
var result:[UInt8] = [UInt8]( repeating: 0, count: size ) // array with length = size
// for ( int i = 0; i < hexString.length; i += 2 )
for i in stride( from: 0, to: hexString.characters.count, by: 2 ) {
let subHexStr = hexString.subString( i, length: 2 )
result[ i / 2 ] = UInt8( subHexStr, radix: 16 )! // ! - because could be null
}
return result
}
extension String {
func subString( _ from: Int, length: Int ) -> String {
let size = self.characters.count
let to = length + from
if from < 0 || to > size {
return ""
}
var result = ""
for ( idx, char ) in self.characters.enumerated() {
if idx >= from && idx < to {
result.append( char )
}
}
return result
}
func removeWord( _ word:String ) -> String {
var result = ""
let textCharArr = Array( self.characters )
let wordCharArr = Array( word.characters )
var possibleMatch = ""
var i = 0, j = 0
while i < textCharArr.count {
if textCharArr[ i ] == wordCharArr[ j ] {
if j == wordCharArr.count - 1 {
possibleMatch = ""
j = 0
}
else {
possibleMatch.append( textCharArr[ i ] )
j += 1
}
}
else {
result.append( possibleMatch )
possibleMatch = ""
if j == 0 {
result.append( textCharArr[ i ] )
}
else {
j = 0
i -= 1
}
}
i += 1
}
return result
}
}
Refer this video to know how I did it.
Credit : AllTech

Answer 5

Conversion of String to Data with nicer syntax.
static func hexStringToData(string: String) -> Data {
let stringArray = Array(string)
var data: Data = Data()
for i in stride(from: 0, to: string.count, by: 2) {
let pair: String = String(stringArray[i]) + String(stringArray[i+1])
if let byteNum = UInt8(pair, radix: 16) {
let byte = Data([byteNum])
data.append(byte)
}
else{
fatalError()
}
}
return data
}