Visual Basic Code Snippet - Object to byte array

Visual Basic Code Snippet - Object to byte array

This .Net Visual Basic code snippet convert object to byte array. This method useful to store binary data in files. Most common method to store binary data in database is as a byte array format. This function can be use to convert any object to byte array and store them in database. This function uses System.IO and System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary name spaces to convert object to byte array. Modify the exception handling section as to your project requirements.

Data that is serialized is easy to represent, transport, and store. Serialized data is naturally represented by byte arrays. Byte arrays, accordingly, are very easy to manipulate programmatically. Transmitting a Byte array over network is straightforward; indeed, a send() call on a standard socket requires a Byte array as a parameter. Additionally, serialized data can then be stored. It is intuitive that storing a Byte array onto some type of disk storage is straightforward, since fundamentally these devices deal with sequences of bytes.

''' <summary>
''' Function to get byte array from a object
''' </summary>
''' <param name="_Object">object to get byte array</param>
''' <returns>Byte Array</returns>
Public Function ObjectToByteArray(ByVal _Object As Object) As Byte()
    Try
        ' create new memory stream
        Dim _MemoryStream As New System.IO.MemoryStream()

        ' create new BinaryFormatter
        Dim _BinaryFormatter As New System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter()

        ' Serializes an object, or graph of connected objects, to the given stream.
        _BinaryFormatter.Serialize(_MemoryStream, _Object)

        ' convert stream to byte array and return
        Return _MemoryStream.ToArray()
    Catch _Exception As Exception
        ' Error
        Console.WriteLine("Exception caught in process: {0}", _Exception.ToString())
    End Try

    ' Error occured, return null
    Return Nothing
End Function

Here is a simple example showing how to use above function (ObjectToByteArray). In this example we convert picturebox image object to byte array.

Dim _ByteArray() As Byte = ObjectToByteArray(pictureBox1.Image)

VB Keywords Used:

• MemoryStream
• BinaryFormatter
• Serialize
• byte
• Exception

Code Snippet Information:

• Applies To: Visual Studio, .Net, VB, Visual Basic, CLI, Byte Array, Object to byte array, Binary Data, Serialization, BinaryFormatter, Store binary data in database
• Programming Language : Visual Basic (VB)

External Resources:

• MemoryStream
• BinaryFormatter
• BinaryFormatter.Serialize Method
• Exception Class

yves :: May 20-2010 :: 07:53 PM

Help a bit DotNet and add
_MemoryStream.Close() before leaving the Function.

Robert :: November 20-2010 :: 10:52 PM

I get an error saying that it needs a header. I am trying to use this to convert a form to byte array, save it and open and show it. Can you help?

lhouise toledo :: November 26-2010 :: 06:23 AM

how to make an 2nd dimensional array ?

Christian Jones :: December 20-2010 :: 02:25 PM

I attempted to use this to convert a sql data reader object to byte array, and then byte array to a string. I'm getting erroneous data, then my actual data, and more erroneous data. As an object, the byte array size was in the 30's, but after running this, it jumped into the 50's. Any ideas?

Here's the snippet of code where the issue is, binConnStr and binPassPhrase end up with additional data. The stored proc is returning the data as varbinary.

sdr = sqlComm.ExecuteReader
While sdr.Read
bc = New BinaryConverter
Receives bytearray as an object type
Dim objConnStr As Object = sdr("ConnectionString")
Dim objPassPhrase As Object = sdr("Password")

Converts object types to byte types
Dim binConnStr As Byte() = bc.ObjectToByteArray(objConnStr)
Dim binPassPhrase As Byte() = bc.ObjectToByteArray(objPassPhrase)

Thanks for any help.

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