How to convert hexadecimal string to an array of U

Question

I have the following code:

var encryptedByteArray: Array<UInt8>?
do {
    let aes = try AES(key: "passwordpassword", iv: "drowssapdrowssap")
    encryptedByteArray = try aes.encrypt(Array("ThisIsAnExample".utf8))
} catch {
    fatalError("Failed to initiate aes!")
}

print(encryptedByteArray!) // Prints [224, 105, 99, 73, 119, 70, 6, 241, 181, 96, 47, 250, 108, 45, 149, 63]

let hexString = encryptedByteArray?.toHexString()

print(hexString!) // Prints e0696349774606f1b5602ffa6c2d953f

How can I convert hexString back to the same array of UInt8 bytes?

The reason why I am asking is because I want to communicate with a server through an encrypted hexadecimal string and I need to convert it back to an array of UInt8 bytes to decode the string to its original form.

Answer 1

Swift 5

import CryptoSwift

let hexString = "e0696349774606f1b5602ffa6c2d953f"
let hexArray = Array<UInt8>.init(hex: hexString) // [224, 105, 99, 73, 119, 70, 6, 241, 181, 96, 47, 250, 108, 45, 149, 63]

Answer 2

You can convert your hexa string back to array of UInt8 iterating every two hexa characters and initialize an UInt8 from it using UInt8 radix 16 initializer:

extension StringProtocol {
    var hexa: [UInt8] {
        var startIndex = self.startIndex
        return stride(from: 0, to: count, by: 2).compactMap { _ in
            let endIndex = index(startIndex, offsetBy: 2, limitedBy: self.endIndex) ?? self.endIndex
            defer { startIndex = endIndex }
            return UInt8(self[startIndex..<endIndex], radix: 16)
        }
    }
}

Playground:

let hexaString = "e0696349774606f1b5602ffa6c2d953f"

let bytes = hexaString.hexa   // [224, 105, 99, 73, 119, 70, 6, 241, 181, 96, 47, 250, 108, 45, 149, 63]

Answer 3

Based on answer from Leo Dabus

Details

• Swift 5.1, Xcode 11.2.1

Solution

enum HexConvertError: Error {
    case wrongInputStringLength
    case wrongInputStringCharacters
}

extension StringProtocol {
    func asHexArrayFromNonValidatedSource() -> [UInt8] {
        var startIndex = self.startIndex
        return stride(from: 0, to: count, by: 2).compactMap { _ in
            let endIndex = index(startIndex, offsetBy: 2, limitedBy: self.endIndex) ?? self.endIndex
            defer { startIndex = endIndex }
            return UInt8(self[startIndex..<endIndex], radix: 16)
        }
    }

    func asHexArray() throws -> [UInt8] {
        if count % 2 != 0 { throw HexConvertError.wrongInputStringLength }
        let characterSet = "0123456789ABCDEFabcdef"
        let wrongCharacter = first { return !characterSet.contains($0) }
        if wrongCharacter != nil { throw HexConvertError.wrongInputStringCharacters }
        return asHexArrayFromNonValidatedSource()
    }
}

Usage

// Way 1
do {
     print("with validation: \(try input.asHexArray() )")
} catch (let error) {
     print("with validation: \(error)")
}

// Way 2
"12g". asHexArrayFromNonValidatedSource()

Full sample

Do not forget to paste here the solution code

func test(input: String) {
    print("input: \(input)")
    do {
        print("with validation: \(try input.asHexArray() )")
    } catch (let error) {
        print("with validation: \(error)")
    }
    print("without validation \(input.asHexArrayFromNonValidatedSource())\n")
}

test(input: "12wr22")
test(input: "124")
test(input: "12AF")

Console output

input: 12wr22
with validation: wrongInputStringCharacters
without validation [18, 34]

input: 124
with validation: wrongInputStringLength
without validation [18, 4]

input: 1240
with validation: [18, 64]
without validation [18, 64]

input: 12AF
with validation: [18, 175]
without validation [18, 175]