(Java) Specify number of bits (length) when converting binary number to string?

Question

I\'m trying to store a number as a binary string in an array but I need to specify how many bits to store it as.

For example, if I need to store 0 with two bits I ne

Answer 1

import java.util.BitSet;

public class StringifyByte {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        byte myByte = (byte) 0x00;
        int length = 2;
        System.out.println("myByte: 0x" + String.valueOf(myByte));
        System.out.println("bitString: " + stringifyByte(myByte, length));

        myByte = (byte) 0x0a;
        length = 6;
        System.out.println("myByte: 0x" + String.valueOf(myByte));
        System.out.println("bitString: " + stringifyByte(myByte, length));
    }

    public static String stringifyByte(byte b, int len) {
        StringBuffer bitStr = new StringBuffer(len);
        BitSet bits = new BitSet(len);
        for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
        {
           bits.set (i, (b & 1) == 1);
           if (bits.get(i)) bitStr.append("1"); else bitStr.append("0");
           b >>= 1;
        }
        return reverseIt(bitStr.toString());
    }

    public static String reverseIt(String source) {
        int i, len = source.length();
        StringBuffer dest = new StringBuffer(len);

        for (i = (len - 1); i >= 0; i--)
           dest.append(source.charAt(i));
        return dest.toString();
    }
}

Output:

myByte: 0x0
bitString: 00
myByte: 0x10
bitString: 001010