How to convert a gi-normous integer (in string format) to hex format? (C#)

Question

Given a potentially huge integer value (in c# string format), I want to be able to generate it's hex equivalent. Normal methods don't apply here as we are talking arbitrarily large numbers, 50 digits or more. The techniques I've seen which use a technique like this:

// Store integer 182
int decValue = 182;
// Convert integer 182 as a hex in a string variable
string hexValue = decValue.ToString("X");
// Convert the hex string back to the number
int decAgain = int.Parse(hexValue, System.Globalization.NumberStyles.HexNumber);

won't work because the integer to convert is too large.

For example I need to be able to convert a string like this:

843370923007003347112437570992242323

to it's hex equivalent.

these don't work:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1139957/c-convert-int-to-hex-and-back-again http://stackoverflow.com/questions/74148/how-to-convert-numbers-between-hex-and-decimal-in-c

Answer 1

Use a BigInteger to store the integer, and than use the .ToString("X") on that object.

Example:

var number = BigInteger.Parse("843370923007003347112437570992242323");
string hexValue = number.ToString("X");

This is however limited to .NET 4 and later. But Jens A. pointed to a BigInteger class on codeproject that class contains a method called ToHexString so that would work for a < .NET 4 scenario.

Answer 2

As Jens said, take a look at the BigInt implementation on Code Project. Even if they don't have a function to convert to hex, you could easily write a function to do it yourself as long as this BigInt has a divide and modulo operation (I don't think it has a modulo function, so you would also need to write modulo yourself)

Answer 3

You could also try to disassemble (for example with reflector) BigInteger structure of .Net 4 implementation and copy methods you need (probably internally it uses 3.5 compatible code)

Answer 4

Oh, that's easy:

        var s = "843370923007003347112437570992242323";
        var result = new List<byte>();
        result.Add( 0 );
        foreach ( char c in s )
        {
            int val = (int)( c - '0' );
            for ( int i = 0 ; i < result.Count ; i++ )
            {
                int digit = result[i] * 10 + val;
                result[i] = (byte)( digit & 0x0F );
                val = digit >> 4;
            }
            if ( val != 0 )
                result.Add( (byte)val );
        }

        var hex = "";
        foreach ( byte b in result )
            hex = "0123456789ABCDEF"[ b ] + hex;