C# unsafe value type array to byte array conversions

Question

I use an extension method to convert float arrays into byte arrays:

public static unsafe byte[] ToByteArray(this float[] floatArray, int count)
{
    int arr         


        

Answer 1

I've written something similar for quick conversion between arrays. It's basically an ugly proof-of-concept more than a handsome solution. ;)

public static TDest[] ConvertArray(TSource[] source)
    where TSource : struct
    where TDest : struct {

    if (source == null)
        throw new ArgumentNullException("source");

        var sourceType = typeof(TSource);
        var destType = typeof(TDest);

        if (sourceType == typeof(char) || destType == typeof(char))
            throw new NotSupportedException(
                "Can not convert from/to a char array. Char is special " +
                "in a somewhat unknown way (like enums can't be based on " +
                "char either), and Marshal.SizeOf returns 1 even when the " +
                "values held by a char can be above 255."
            );

        var sourceByteSize = Buffer.ByteLength(source);
        var destTypeSize = Marshal.SizeOf(destType);
        if (sourceByteSize % destTypeSize != 0)
            throw new Exception(
                "The source array is " + sourceByteSize + " bytes, which can " +
                "not be transfered to chunks of " + destTypeSize + ", the size " +
                "of type " + typeof(TDest).Name + ". Change destination type or " +
                "pad the source array with additional values."
            );

        var destCount = sourceByteSize / destTypeSize;
        var destArray = new TDest[destCount];

        Buffer.BlockCopy(source, 0, destArray, 0, sourceByteSize);

        return destArray;
    }
}