demonstrate how to convert step by step 130 to fit in a byte variable

[pedro abs]

someone, please, can demonstrate how the cast is made of the number 130 to fit into a variable of type byte? Step by step ....

I try begin doing this:

130 / 2 = 65
Mod 0
65 / 2 = 32
Mod 1
32 / 2 = 16
Mod 0
16 / 2 = 8
Mod 0
8 / 2 = 4
Mod 0
4 / 2 = 2
Mod 0
2 / 2 = 1
Mod 0
1 / 2 = 0
Mod 1

then 130 = 1000 0010

then....???

[Jesper de Jong]

Welcome to JavaRanch.

I'm not sure exactly what you want to know. The value 130 does not fit into a byte, because a byte is an 8-bit signed data type - it can contain only values between -128 and 127. Values in a byte (as well as in int, short and long) are stored in two's complement format.

[Jelle Klap]

It is possible to use a byte to store that bit pattern, but Java will interpret it as a signed two's complement integer, and you'll end up with a negative value: -126.
However, if you know the byte's bit pattern should be interpreted as an unsigned value, you can work around this.
All you need is to widen from a byte to an int and do some bit twiddeling:

byte b = (byte) 130;    
System.out.println(b);  // -126
    
int i = b & 0xFF;   
System.out.println(i);  // 130


// Or if you're not into the whole brevity thing...

ByteBuffer buffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(4);
buffer.put(new byte[] {0, 0, 0, b});
buffer.rewind();
int i2 = buffer.getInt();    
System.out.println(i2);  // 130            

I guess the real question is, why would you want to do this?

[Nicola Garofalo]

As you wrote 130 in binary representation is

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

the leftmost bit is set to 1, so the number will be negative

now flip all the bits

0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1

add 1

0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

in decimal is 126 but remember that the leftmost bit was 1 then the number is negative

= - 126

[pedro abs]

Nicola Garofalo wrote:As you wrote 130 in binary representation is

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

the leftmost bit is set to 1, so the number will be negative

now flip all the bits

0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1

add 1

0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

in decimal is 126 but remember that the leftmost bit was 1 then the number is negative

= - 126

That's what I want to understand.

(why casting 130 to byte results -126)

But why I have to flip all the bits and then add 1?
how this algorithm?

Thanks everybody !!!

[Nicola Garofalo]

That's the two's complement system.

Follow the link that Jesper Young posted in one of the previous messages

I think there you will find all you need to know about it.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two's_complement