how to put different Varaibles in one ByteArray "Resolved"

[opus]

Hi,
I need to put different Varaibles into one ByteArray (using CopyMemory). Ican handle it with one Variable, even if it ios a UDT-array. But I need to put in different things, and furthermore they need to be in one message (at least I think so).
Is there an easy way to put some variables (Singles,Integers, Boolean) into one ByteArray in order to send them in one message?

[Pino]

Just double check is this a network question?

[opus]

Come to think about it, really not. I'm sorry, but since it is the way to make my data "sendable" over the network, it "sounded" network for me.

[ccoder]

If I understand you, you want to put more than 1 variable into the byte array, correct? The easy way is to put the variables into a UDT and copy that to the byte array. The hard way is to copy each variable to the appropiate offset into the array.

For example, let's say you want to copy an Integer, a Long, a Boolean, a Byte and another Long, in that order. The first thing you should keep in mind is the byte alignment needed for each variable type. If the variables are going to be removed from the byte array the same way they were inserted (i.e the CopyMemory API) then alignment won't be a problem.

Anyway, I would do something like the following to fill the byte array.

Const sizeofByte    As Integer = 1
Const sizeofBoolean As Integer = 2
Const sizeofInteger As Integer = 2
Const sizeofLong    As Integer = 4

Dim offset          As Integer
Dim Int1            As Integer
Dim Bool1           As Boolean
Dim Long1           As Long
Dim Long2           As Long
Dim Byte1           As Byte
Dim bArry(20)       As Byte

offset = 0
CopyMemory bArry(offset), Int1, sizeofInteger
offset = offset + sizeofInteger

CopyMemory bArry(offset), Long1, sizeofLong
offset = offset + sizeofLong

CopyMemory bArry(offset), Bool1, sizeofBoolean
offset = offset + sizeofBoolean

// copymemory not needed here
bArry(offset) = Byte1           
offset = offset + sizeofByte

CopyMemory bArry(offset), Long2, sizeofLong

If you do have to take the proper alignment into consideration, then take this approach:

Const sizeofByte    As Integer = 1
Const sizeofBoolean As Integer = 2
Const sizeofInteger As Integer = 2
Const sizeofLong    As Integer = 4

dim offset          as Integer
Dim padding         As Integer
Dim Int1            As Integer
Dim Bool1           As Boolean
Dim Long1           As Long
Dim Long2           As Long
Dim Byte1           As Byte
Dim bArry(20)       As Byte

offset = 0
CopyMemory bArry(offset), Int1, sizeofInteger
offset = offset + sizeofInteger
padding = offset Mod sizeofLong
offset = offset + padding

CopyMemory bArry(offset), Long1, sizeofLong
offset = offset + sizeofLong
padding = offset Mod sizeofBoolean
offset = offset + padding

CopyMemory bArry(offset), Bool1, sizeofBoolean
offset = offset + sizeofBoolean

// byte alignment and copymemory not needed here
bArry(offset) = Byte1            
offset = offset + sizeofByte
padding = offset Mod sizeofLong
offset = offset + padding

Copymemory bArry(offset), Long2, sizeofLong

[opus]

Thanks CCODER, it got it now. I have to take the "hard" way, but that's no problem.

Thanks for the help.

[Pino]

Come to think about it, really not. I'm sorry, but since it is the way to make my data "sendable" over the network, it "sounded" network for me.

Oo, osrry i proberly sounded a bit snappy in that message, I just wanted to make sure you got the quickest reply, since its solved theres no problem now

[ccoder]

Thanks CCODER, it got it now. I have to take the "hard" way, but that's no problem.

Thanks for the help.

Glad I could help. If you ever have to take byte alignment into consideration, do use a UDT - it (actually the compiler) will take care of the byte alignment for you.