How do I convert a really long string to binary in C? - c

Question

I would like to convert a very long (arbitrary length, possibly 1000 characters long; university assignment) string into binary. How should I approach this problem? I have thought about it for a while, but I just can't seem to think of anything viable.
The string will be passed to me as const char *str. I want to read the number, which will be in Base 10, and convert it into binary.
Should I read certain number of least significant numbers and store them in unsigned long long int, and then work from there? Is there a better solution? I don't know how the method I suggested would pan out. I wanted to know if there's a better/easier way to do it.
Thank you.

Answer 1

Assuming your input is too large for the biggest integer type, you have to convert it to a unlimited size integer. For this purpose you can use gmplib. If you are not allowed to use external libraries, you can use a different approach:
is your string divisible by two (look at the last digit)?
if yes, write 0 to left side of your output
else, write 1 to left side of your output
divide the string by 2 (every digit)
repeat while string is not filled with 0
I am going to edit this answer, as soon as I wrote the code.
Here you go:
#include<stdbool.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include<memory.h>
#include<stdio.h>
typedef struct char_queue {
unsigned int len;
unsigned int capacity;
char* data;
} char_queue;
char_queue init_char_queue() {
return (char_queue) {
0,
4096,
malloc(4096)
};
}
void enqueue(char_queue* queue, char val) {
if (queue->len == queue->capacity) {
char* new_queue_data = malloc(queue->capacity + 4096);
memmove(new_queue_data, queue->data, queue->capacity);
free(queue->data);
queue->data = new_queue_data;
}
queue->len++;
queue->data[queue->capacity - queue->len] = val;
}
char* queue_get_arr(char_queue* queue) {
char* output = malloc(queue->len);
memcpy(output, &queue->data[queue->capacity - queue->len], queue->len);
return output;
}
void free_char_queue(char_queue* queue) {
if (queue->data) free(queue->data);
}
void convert_to_digit_arr(char* input, unsigned int len) {
for (unsigned int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
input[i] = input[i] - '0'; // '5' - '0' = 5
}
}
bool is_null(char* input, unsigned int len) {
for (unsigned int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
if (input[i] != 0) return false;
}
return true;
}
bool divisible_by_two(char* digit_arr, unsigned int len) {
return digit_arr[len - 1] % 2 == 0;
}
void divide_by_two(char* digit_arr, unsigned int len) {
for (unsigned int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
bool is_odd = digit_arr[i] % 2 == 1;
digit_arr[i] /= 2;
if (is_odd && i + 1 < len) { // and is not last (right) digit
digit_arr[i + 1] += 10;
}
}
}
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
unsigned int input_len = strlen(argv[i]);
char* input = malloc(input_len + 1);
strcpy(input, argv[i]);
convert_to_digit_arr(input, input_len);
char_queue queue = init_char_queue();
enqueue(&queue, 0); // null terminator to use the queue content as a string
while (!is_null(input, input_len)) {
enqueue(&queue, divisible_by_two(input, input_len) ? '0' : '1');
divide_by_two(input, input_len);
}
free(input);
char* output = queue_get_arr(&queue);
printf("%s\n", output);
free(output);
free_char_queue(&queue);
}
}
This is not the fastest approach, but it is very simple. Also feel free to optimize it.

Answer 2

How do I convert a really long string (as decimal characters) to binary?
Let us look at printing this.
print2(s)
If the decimal string is at least "2",
__ Divide the decimal string by 2 and notice its remainder.
__ Recursively call print2(s)
__ Print the remainder.
Else print the string.
Example code:
#include <stdio.h>
unsigned decimal_string_divide(char *dividend, unsigned divisor) {
// Remove a potential leading '0'
if (*dividend == '0') {
memmove(dividend, dividend+1, strlen(dividend));
}
// "divide", like we learned in grade school.
unsigned remainder = 0;
while (*dividend) {
unsigned sum = remainder*10 + (*dividend - '0');
remainder = sum%divisor;
*dividend = sum/divisor + '0';
dividend++;
}
return remainder;
}
void decimal_string_print_binary(char *dividend) {
//printf("<%s>\n", dividend); fflush(stdout);
if (dividend[0]) {
// If at least 2 digits or at least "2"
if (dividend[1] || (dividend[0] >= '2')) {
unsigned bit = decimal_string_divide(dividend, 2);
decimal_string_print_binary(dividend);
printf("%c", bit + '0');
} else {
printf("%c", *dividend);
}
}
}
void decimal_string_print_2(const char *dividend) {
printf("%-25s", dividend);
size_t sz = strlen(dividend) + 1;
char buf[sz]; // Use a VLA or allocate memory
strcpy(buf, dividend);
decimal_string_print_binary(buf);
printf("\n");
}
Test
int main(void) {
decimal_string_print_2("0");
decimal_string_print_2("1");
decimal_string_print_2("42");
decimal_string_print_2("8675309");
decimal_string_print_2("18446744073709551615");
}
Output
0 0
1 1
42 101010
8675309 100001000101111111101101
18446744073709551615 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
To instead convert the string from decimal form into a binary string, allocate sufficient buffer (about log10(2) times string length) and instead of printing above, save to the buffer. Left for OP to do.

Answer 3

I am suggesting a better approach. whereby any arguments passed to a function that is not intended to be mutated, be received as a "const", and a local pointer be used to access the data of this "const".
IE:
void to_binary(const char *str) {
char *ptr = str;
...
Then use ptr.
I know that in this case, my argument is purely trivial and academic, but it is a good practice to get used to and may save you many headaches in the future.
Also, when dealing with binary data, use "unsigned char", to ensure that no type conversions are used. You will need bit 7 if the data is not ASCII or alike.