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Matt Bejang
Matt Bejang
June 10, 2023

BinaryWriter C: A Practical Guide to Writing and Reading Binary Data



BinaryWriter C Tutorial Pdf Free




If you want to learn how to write and read binary data in C#, you have come to the right place. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the BinaryWriter class, which is part of the System.IO namespace. You will also learn the benefits and challenges of using binary files, as well as some best practices and resources for further learning. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to create, write, read, and close binary files in C#.




Binarywriter C Tutorial Pdf Free



What is BinaryWriter?




BinaryWriter is a class that writes primitive data types in binary format to a stream. It also supports writing strings in a specific encoding. A stream is an abstraction that represents a sequence of bytes, such as a file, a network connection, or a memory buffer. BinaryWriter can be used to produce binary files, which are files that store data in binary format, rather than text format.


Binary files have some advantages over text files, such as smaller size, faster access, and better security. However, they also have some disadvantages, such as being less readable, less portable, and more prone to errors. Therefore, you should use binary files only when you need to store or transfer data that is not meant to be human-readable, such as images, audio, video, or encrypted data.


How to create a BinaryWriter object?




To create a BinaryWriter object, you need to pass a stream object as a parameter to one of its constructors. You can also optionally specify an encoding object and a boolean value that indicates whether to leave the stream open after disposing the BinaryWriter object. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Create); // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Write some data to the stream bw.Write(42); // int bw.Write(3.14); // double bw.Write("Hello"); // string // Close and dispose the binary writer bw.Close();


You can also use other types of streams, such as MemoryStream or NetworkStream, depending on your needs. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a memory stream MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(); // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding and leave the stream open BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(ms, Encoding.UTF8, true); // Write some data to the stream bw.Write(42); // int bw.Write(3.14); // double bw.Write("Hello"); // string // Get the bytes from the memory stream byte[] bytes = ms.ToArray(); // Close and dispose the binary writer bw.Close(); // Do something with the bytes Console.WriteLine(BitConverter.ToString(bytes));


How to write data to a binary file?




To write data to a binary file, you need to use the Write methods of the BinaryWriter class. There are overloads of the Write method for different data types, such as bool, byte, char, decimal, double, float, int, long, short, string, and so on. You can also write an array or a part of an array of bytes or chars. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Create); // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Write some data to the stream bw.Write(true); // bool bw.Write((byte)65); // byte bw.Write('B'); // char bw.Write(123.45m); // decimal bw.Write(6.78); // double bw.Write(9.87f); // float bw.Write(123); // int bw.Write(456L); // long bw.Write((short)789); // short bw.Write("Hello"); // string // Write an array of bytes byte[] bytes = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ; bw.Write(bytes); // Write a part of an array of chars char[] chars = 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e' ; bw.Write(chars, 1, 3); // Close and dispose the binary writer bw.Close();


The Write methods write the data in little-endian format, which means that the least significant byte is stored first. For example, the int value 123 is written as 7B 00 00 00 in hex. If you need to write data in big-endian format, you need to reverse the bytes before writing them. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Create); // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Write an int value in big-endian format int value = 123; byte[] bytes = BitConverter.GetBytes(value); Array.Reverse(bytes); bw.Write(bytes); // Close and dispose the binary writer bw.Close();


How to read data from a binary file?




To read data from a binary file, you need to use the BinaryReader class, which is the counterpart of the BinaryWriter class. The BinaryReader class has a constructor that takes a stream object as a parameter, and optionally an encoding object and a boolean value that indicates whether to leave the stream open after disposing the BinaryReader object. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Open); // Create a binary reader with UTF-8 encoding BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Read some data from the stream int value = br.ReadInt32(); // int double number = br.ReadDouble(); // double string text = br.ReadString(); // string // Close and dispose the binary reader br.Close();


The BinaryReader class has Read methods for different data types, such as ReadBoolean, ReadByte, ReadChar, ReadDecimal, ReadDouble, ReadSingle, ReadInt32, ReadInt64, ReadInt16, ReadString, and so on. You can also read an array or a part of an array of bytes or chars. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Open); // Create a binary reader with UTF-8 encoding BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Read some data from the stream bool flag = br.ReadBoolean(); // bool byte b = br.ReadByte(); // byte char c = br.ReadChar(); // char How to close and dispose a BinaryWriter object?




To close and dispose a BinaryWriter object, you can use either the Close or the Dispose method. Both methods have the same effect: they flush the data to the stream, close the stream, and release any resources used by the BinaryWriter object. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Create); // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8); // Write some data to the stream bw.Write(42); // int bw.Write(3.14); // double bw.Write("Hello"); // string // Close and dispose the binary writer bw.Close(); // or bw.Dispose();


You can also use the using statement, which automatically calls the Dispose method at the end of the block. This is recommended because it ensures that the BinaryWriter object is disposed even if an exception occurs. For example:



using System; using System.IO; using System.Text; class Program static void Main(string[] args) // Create a file stream using (FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Create)) // Create a binary writer with UTF-8 encoding using (BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(fs, Encoding.UTF8)) // Write some data to the stream bw.Write(42); // int bw.Write(3.14); // double bw.Write("Hello"); // string


Benefits of using BinaryWriter




Using BinaryWriter has some benefits over using other methods of writing data to files, such as StreamWriter or File.WriteAllText. Some of these benefits are:



  • Binary files are usually smaller than text files, because they do not need to store extra characters for formatting or encoding.



  • Binary files are faster to read and write, because they do not need to parse or convert the data.



  • Binary files are more secure than text files, because they are harder to manipulate or tamper with.



  • Binary files can store any kind of data, such as images, audio, video, or encrypted data.



Challenges of using BinaryWriter




Using BinaryWriter also has some challenges and limitations that you should be aware of. Some of these challenges are:



  • Binary files are less readable than text files, because they are not meant to be human-readable. You need to use a special tool or program to view or edit them.



  • Binary files are less portable than text files, because they may depend on the platform or architecture that created them. For example, different platforms may use different byte orders (little-endian or big-endian) or different encodings.



  • Binary files are more prone to errors than text files, because they may become corrupted or incompatible if the format or structure changes.



  • Binary files require more care and attention than text files, because you need to know the exact format and structure of the data, and use the appropriate methods and parameters to write and read them.



Best practices for using BinaryWriter




To use BinaryWriter effectively and avoid common pitfalls, you should follow some best practices and recommendations. Some of these best practices are:



  • Use binary files only when you need to store or transfer data that is not meant to be human-readable, such as images, audio, video, or encrypted data.



  • Use text files when you need to store or transfer data that is meant to be human-readable, such as configuration settings, log messages, or user input.



  • Use a consistent format and structure for your binary files, and document it clearly. For example, use a header section that describes the content and layout of the file.



  • Use a consistent encoding for your strings, and specify it when creating the BinaryWriter object. For example, use UTF-8 encoding, which is the default for BinaryWriter.



  • Use the appropriate methods and parameters for writing and reading different data types, and make sure they match. For example, use WriteInt32 and ReadInt32 for int values, and WriteString and ReadString for string values.



  • Use the using statement or the Close or Dispose method to close and dispose the BinaryWriter object when you are done with it. This will flush the data to the stream, close the stream, and release any resources used by the BinaryWriter object.



Resources for learning more about BinaryWriter




If you want to learn more about BinaryWriter and how to use it in C#, you can check out the following resources:



  • The official documentation of the BinaryWriter class, which provides a detailed description of its constructors, properties, methods, and examples: BinaryWriter Class (System.IO) Microsoft Learn



  • A tutorial that shows how to read and write to a newly created data file using BinaryWriter and BinaryReader: How to: Read and write to a newly created data file Microsoft Learn



  • An article that explains how to use the BinaryWriter class in C# with examples: How to Use C# BinaryWriter Class? - GeeksforGeeks



Conclusion




In this tutorial, you have learned how to use the BinaryWriter class in C#, which writes primitive data types in binary format to a stream. You have also learned the benefits and challenges of using binary files, as well as some best practices and resources for further learning. By following this tutorial, you should be able to create, write, read, and close binary files in C#.


Now that you have learned how to use BinaryWriter, you can apply it to your own projects and scenarios. For example, you can use it to store or transfer images, audio, video, or encrypted data. You can also use it to create custom binary formats for your own applications.


If you have any questions or feedback about this tutorial, feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading and happy coding!


FAQs




Here are some common questions and answers about BinaryWriter:



What is the difference between BinaryWriter and StreamWriter?


  • BinaryWriter writes primitive data types in binary format to a stream, while StreamWriter writes character strings in text format to a stream. BinaryWriter is used for producing binary files, while StreamWriter is used for producing text files.



How can I write an object or a complex data type using BinaryWriter?


  • You cannot write an object or a complex data type directly using BinaryWriter. You need to serialize the object or the complex data type into a byte array first, and then write the byte array using BinaryWriter. Serialization is the process of converting an object or a complex data type into a sequence of bytes that can be stored or transferred.



How can I write data in big-endian format using BinaryWriter?


  • You need to reverse the bytes before writing them using BinaryWriter. For example, you can use the BitConverter.GetBytes method to get the bytes of a value, then use the Array.Reverse method to reverse the bytes, and then write the bytes using BinaryWriter.



How can I append data to an existing binary file using BinaryWriter?


  • You need to open the file stream with FileMode.Append mode, which sets the file pointer at the end of the file. For example: FileStream fs = new FileStream("test.bin", FileMode.Append);



How can I check if a file is a binary file or a text file?


  • There is no definitive way to check if a file is a binary file or a text file, because any file can be interpreted as either binary or text. However, one possible way is to read some bytes from the file and check if they are valid characters in a certain encoding. For example, you can use the Encoding.UTF8.GetString method to convert some bytes into a string, and then check if the string contains any invalid characters.



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