Struct Byte/Bit setting values and manipulations in C#

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Hi All,

I am working in WPF, and have a struct wherein bit fields needs to be implemented similar to that in C++

//MyFile.xaml.cs

how could we accomplish the same in c#?

for Instance,

C++

typedef struct _PrinterData 
//Similar Struct exists in C++ which needs to be implemented in C#
{
//Bytes #0 -7 // Manupulation of individual bytes.
UINT64 x = 1;
//Bytes #8 ~ 11
UINT32 y = 2;

//Byte #12  ie., Manupilation of bits within bytes
UINT PRINT_EN:1 // #12 [0] Print Enable Bit
UINT PRINT_TYPE:# // #12[1-3] Print Type
UINT Reserved1:4;// #12 [4-7]

} 
PRINTDATA_STRUCT;

The above snippet is to be implemented in my C# program, where in the layout of struct is being defined in C/C++ I had no clue on bit manipulation within byte in C# how could one circumvent the same in C#. Any help in resolving the above would be much appreciable.
I am using .Net 3.5 Framework, using WPF
Thanks in Advance...

With Regards,
Samanth_90

Posted 18-Mar-12 19:05pm

Member 7985084

Updated 18-Mar-12 19:09pm

JF2015

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov · Answer 1 · 2012-03-18T19:18:00

I believe enumeration types are much better for bit manipulations:

C#

enum SomeOptions {
   None = 0,
   FirstOption = 1 << 0,
   SecondOption = 1 << 1,
   ThirdOption = 1 << 2,
   //...
}

// usage:

SomeOptions options; 

//Include a bit:
options |= Options.FirstOption;

//Exclude a bit:
options ^= Options.ThirdOption;

//Arbitrary bit set constructed:
options = Options.SecondOption | Options.FirstOption;

//Check up a bit in a bit set:
bool isFirstOptionSet = (options & Options.FirstOption) > 0;

For some more advanced techniques using enumeration types, please see my article:
Enumeration Types do not Enumerate! Working around .NET and Language Limitations[^].

You can also combine these bit-oriented techniques with byte (or any other numeric type) access. You can also use the attribute [FieldOffset] (System.Runtime.InteropServices.FieldOffsetAttribute) to create different fields aligned to the same address and create effects of C++ union. Please see:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.interopservices.fieldoffsetattribute.aspx[^].

Good luck,

—SA