Convert bool[] to byte[]

Question

I have a List which I want to convert to a byte[]. How do i do this? list.toArray() creates a bool[].

Answer 1

Marc's answer is good already, but...

Assuming you are the kind of person that is comfortable doing bit-twiddling, or just want to write less code and squeeze out some more performance, then this here code is for you good sir / madame:

byte[] PackBoolsInByteArray(bool[] bools)
{
    int len = bools.Length;
    int bytes = len >> 3;
    if ((len & 0x07) != 0) ++bytes;
    byte[] arr2 = new byte[bytes];
    for (int i = 0; i < bools.Length; i++)
    {
        if (bools[i])
            arr2[i >> 3] |= (byte)(1 << (i & 0x07));
    }
}

It does the exact same thing as Marc's code, it's just more succinct.

Of course if we really want to go all out we could unroll it too...
...and while we are at it lets throw in a curve ball on the return type!

IEnumerable PackBoolsInByteEnumerable(bool[] bools)
{
    int len = bools.Length;
    int rem = len & 0x07; // hint: rem = len % 8.

    /*
    byte[] byteArr = rem == 0 // length is a multiple of 8? (no remainder?)
        ? new byte[len >> 3] // -yes-
        : new byte[(len >> 3)+ 1]; // -no-
     */

    const byte BZ = 0,
        B0 = 1 << 0, B1 = 1 << 1, B2 = 1 << 2, B3 = 1 << 3,
        B4 = 1 << 4, B5 = 1 << 5, B6 = 1 << 6, B7 = 1 << 7;

    byte b;
    int i = 0;
    for (int mul = len & ~0x07; i < mul; i += 8) // hint: len = mul + rem.
    {
        b = bools[i] ? B0 : BZ;
        if (bools[i + 1]) b |= B1;
        if (bools[i + 2]) b |= B2;
        if (bools[i + 3]) b |= B3;
        if (bools[i + 4]) b |= B4;
        if (bools[i + 5]) b |= B5;
        if (bools[i + 6]) b |= B6;
        if (bools[i + 7]) b |= B7;

        //byteArr[i >> 3] = b;
        yield return b;
    }

    if (rem != 0) // take care of the remainder...
    {
        b = bools[i] ? B0 : BZ; // (there is at least one more bool.)

        switch (rem) // rem is [1:7] (fall-through switch!)
        {
            case 7:
                if (bools[i + 6]) b |= B6;
                goto case 6;
            case 6:
                if (bools[i + 5]) b |= B5;
                goto case 5;
            case 5:
                if (bools[i + 4]) b |= B4;
                goto case 4;
            case 4:
                if (bools[i + 3]) b |= B3;
                goto case 3;
            case 3:
                if (bools[i + 2]) b |= B2;
                goto case 2;
            case 2:
                if (bools[i + 1]) b |= B1;
                break;
            // case 1 is the statement above the switch!
        }

        //byteArr[i >> 3] = b; // write the last byte to the array.
        yield return b; // yield the last byte.
    }

    //return byteArr;
}

Tip: As you can see I included the code for returning a byte[] as comments. Simply comment out the two yield statements instead if that is what you want/need.

---

Twiddling Hints:
Shifting x >> 3 is a cheaper x / 8.
Masking x & 0x07 is a cheaper x % 8.
Masking x & ~0x07 is a cheaper x - x % 8.

---

Edit: Here is some example documentation:

    /// 

    /// Bit-packs an array of booleans into bytes, one bit per boolean.
    /// 

    /// Booleans are bit-packed into bytes, in order, from least significant
    /// bit to most significant bit of each byte.

    /// If the length of the input array isn't a multiple of eight, then one
    /// or more of the most significant bits in the last byte returned will
    /// be unused. Unused bits are zero / unset.
    /// 
    /// An array of booleans to pack into bytes.
    /// 
    /// An IEnumerable<byte> of bytes each containing (up to) eight
    /// bit-packed booleans.
    ///