How do I convert between big-endian and little-end

Question

How do I convert between big-endian and little-endian values in C++?

EDIT: For clarity, I have to translate binary data (double-precision floating point values and 32-bit and 64-bit integers) from one CPU architecture to another. This doesn't involve networking, so ntoh() and similar functions won't work here.

EDIT #2: The answer I accepted applies directly to compilers I'm targetting (which is why I chose it). However, there are other very good, more portable answers here.

Answer 1

Portable technique for implementing optimizer-friendly unaligned non-inplace endian accessors. They work on every compiler, every boundary alignment and every byte ordering. These unaligned routines are supplemented, or mooted, depending on native endian and alignment. Partial listing but you get the idea. BO* are constant values based on native byte ordering.

uint32_t sw_get_uint32_1234(pu32)
uint32_1234 *pu32;
{
  union {
    uint32_1234 u32_1234;
    uint32_t u32;
  } bou32;
  bou32.u32_1234[0] = (*pu32)[BO32_0];
  bou32.u32_1234[1] = (*pu32)[BO32_1];
  bou32.u32_1234[2] = (*pu32)[BO32_2];
  bou32.u32_1234[3] = (*pu32)[BO32_3];
  return(bou32.u32);
}

void sw_set_uint32_1234(pu32, u32)
uint32_1234 *pu32;
uint32_t u32;
{
  union {
    uint32_1234 u32_1234;
    uint32_t u32;
  } bou32;
  bou32.u32 = u32;
  (*pu32)[BO32_0] = bou32.u32_1234[0];
  (*pu32)[BO32_1] = bou32.u32_1234[1];
  (*pu32)[BO32_2] = bou32.u32_1234[2];
  (*pu32)[BO32_3] = bou32.u32_1234[3];
}

#if HAS_SW_INT64
int64 sw_get_int64_12345678(pi64)
int64_12345678 *pi64;
{
  union {
    int64_12345678 i64_12345678;
    int64 i64;
  } boi64;
  boi64.i64_12345678[0] = (*pi64)[BO64_0];
  boi64.i64_12345678[1] = (*pi64)[BO64_1];
  boi64.i64_12345678[2] = (*pi64)[BO64_2];
  boi64.i64_12345678[3] = (*pi64)[BO64_3];
  boi64.i64_12345678[4] = (*pi64)[BO64_4];
  boi64.i64_12345678[5] = (*pi64)[BO64_5];
  boi64.i64_12345678[6] = (*pi64)[BO64_6];
  boi64.i64_12345678[7] = (*pi64)[BO64_7];
  return(boi64.i64);
}
#endif

int32_t sw_get_int32_3412(pi32)
int32_3412 *pi32;
{
  union {
    int32_3412 i32_3412;
    int32_t i32;
  } boi32;
  boi32.i32_3412[2] = (*pi32)[BO32_0];
  boi32.i32_3412[3] = (*pi32)[BO32_1];
  boi32.i32_3412[0] = (*pi32)[BO32_2];
  boi32.i32_3412[1] = (*pi32)[BO32_3];
  return(boi32.i32);
}

void sw_set_int32_3412(pi32, i32)
int32_3412 *pi32;
int32_t i32;
{
  union {
    int32_3412 i32_3412;
    int32_t i32;
  } boi32;
  boi32.i32 = i32;
  (*pi32)[BO32_0] = boi32.i32_3412[2];
  (*pi32)[BO32_1] = boi32.i32_3412[3];
  (*pi32)[BO32_2] = boi32.i32_3412[0];
  (*pi32)[BO32_3] = boi32.i32_3412[1];
}

uint32_t sw_get_uint32_3412(pu32)
uint32_3412 *pu32;
{
  union {
    uint32_3412 u32_3412;
    uint32_t u32;
  } bou32;
  bou32.u32_3412[2] = (*pu32)[BO32_0];
  bou32.u32_3412[3] = (*pu32)[BO32_1];
  bou32.u32_3412[0] = (*pu32)[BO32_2];
  bou32.u32_3412[1] = (*pu32)[BO32_3];
  return(bou32.u32);
}

void sw_set_uint32_3412(pu32, u32)
uint32_3412 *pu32;
uint32_t u32;
{
  union {
    uint32_3412 u32_3412;
    uint32_t u32;
  } bou32;
  bou32.u32 = u32;
  (*pu32)[BO32_0] = bou32.u32_3412[2];
  (*pu32)[BO32_1] = bou32.u32_3412[3];
  (*pu32)[BO32_2] = bou32.u32_3412[0];
  (*pu32)[BO32_3] = bou32.u32_3412[1];
}

float sw_get_float_1234(pf)
float_1234 *pf;
{
  union {
    float_1234 f_1234;
    float f;
  } bof;
  bof.f_1234[0] = (*pf)[BO32_0];
  bof.f_1234[1] = (*pf)[BO32_1];
  bof.f_1234[2] = (*pf)[BO32_2];
  bof.f_1234[3] = (*pf)[BO32_3];
  return(bof.f);
}

void sw_set_float_1234(pf, f)
float_1234 *pf;
float f;
{
  union {
    float_1234 f_1234;
    float f;
  } bof;
  bof.f = (float)f;
  (*pf)[BO32_0] = bof.f_1234[0];
  (*pf)[BO32_1] = bof.f_1234[1];
  (*pf)[BO32_2] = bof.f_1234[2];
  (*pf)[BO32_3] = bof.f_1234[3];
}

double sw_get_double_12345678(pd)
double_12345678 *pd;
{
  union {
    double_12345678 d_12345678;
    double d;
  } bod;
  bod.d_12345678[0] = (*pd)[BO64_0];
  bod.d_12345678[1] = (*pd)[BO64_1];
  bod.d_12345678[2] = (*pd)[BO64_2];
  bod.d_12345678[3] = (*pd)[BO64_3];
  bod.d_12345678[4] = (*pd)[BO64_4];
  bod.d_12345678[5] = (*pd)[BO64_5];
  bod.d_12345678[6] = (*pd)[BO64_6];
  bod.d_12345678[7] = (*pd)[BO64_7];
  return(bod.d);
}

void sw_set_double_12345678(pd, d)
double_12345678 *pd;
double d;
{
  union {
    double_12345678 d_12345678;
    double d;
  } bod;
  bod.d = d;
  (*pd)[BO64_0] = bod.d_12345678[0];
  (*pd)[BO64_1] = bod.d_12345678[1];
  (*pd)[BO64_2] = bod.d_12345678[2];
  (*pd)[BO64_3] = bod.d_12345678[3];
  (*pd)[BO64_4] = bod.d_12345678[4];
  (*pd)[BO64_5] = bod.d_12345678[5];
  (*pd)[BO64_6] = bod.d_12345678[6];
  (*pd)[BO64_7] = bod.d_12345678[7];
}

These typedefs have the benefit of raising compiler errors if not used with accessors, thus mitigating forgotten accessor bugs.

typedef char int8_1[1], uint8_1[1];

typedef char int16_12[2], uint16_12[2]; /* little endian */
typedef char int16_21[2], uint16_21[2]; /* big endian */

typedef char int24_321[3], uint24_321[3]; /* Alpha Micro, PDP-11 */

typedef char int32_1234[4], uint32_1234[4]; /* little endian */
typedef char int32_3412[4], uint32_3412[4]; /* Alpha Micro, PDP-11 */
typedef char int32_4321[4], uint32_4321[4]; /* big endian */

typedef char int64_12345678[8], uint64_12345678[8]; /* little endian */
typedef char int64_34128756[8], uint64_34128756[8]; /* Alpha Micro, PDP-11 */
typedef char int64_87654321[8], uint64_87654321[8]; /* big endian */

typedef char float_1234[4]; /* little endian */
typedef char float_3412[4]; /* Alpha Micro, PDP-11 */
typedef char float_4321[4]; /* big endian */

typedef char double_12345678[8]; /* little endian */
typedef char double_78563412[8]; /* Alpha Micro? */
typedef char double_87654321[8]; /* big endian */

Answer 2

We've done this with templates. You could so something like this:

// Specialization for 2-byte types.
template<>
inline void endian_byte_swapper< 2 >(char* dest, char const* src)
{
    // Use bit manipulations instead of accessing individual bytes from memory, much faster.
    ushort* p_dest = reinterpret_cast< ushort* >(dest);
    ushort const* const p_src = reinterpret_cast< ushort const* >(src);
    *p_dest = (*p_src >> 8) | (*p_src << 8);
}

// Specialization for 4-byte types.
template<>
inline void endian_byte_swapper< 4 >(char* dest, char const* src)
{
    // Use bit manipulations instead of accessing individual bytes from memory, much faster.
    uint* p_dest = reinterpret_cast< uint* >(dest);
    uint const* const p_src = reinterpret_cast< uint const* >(src);
    *p_dest = (*p_src >> 24) | ((*p_src & 0x00ff0000) >> 8) | ((*p_src & 0x0000ff00) << 8) | (*p_src << 24);
}

Answer 3

Seriously... I don't understand why all solutions are that complicated! How about the simplest, most general template function that swaps any type of any size under any circumstances in any operating system????

template <typename T>
void SwapEnd(T& var)
{
    char* varArray = reinterpret_cast<char*>(&var);
    for(long i = 0; i < static_cast<long>(sizeof(var)/2); i++)
        std::swap(varArray[sizeof(var) - 1 - i],varArray[i]);
}

It's the magic power of C and C++ together! Simply swap the original variable character by character.

Remember that I didn't use the simple assignment operator "=" because some objects will be messed up when the endianness is flipped and the copy constructor (or assignment operator) won't work. Therefore, it's more reliable to copy them char by char.

To call it, just use

double x = 5;
SwapEnd(x);

and now x is different in endianness.

Answer 4

Here's a generalized version I came up with off the top of my head, for swapping a value in place. The other suggestions would be better if performance is a problem.

 template<typename T>
    void ByteSwap(T * p)
    {
        for (int i = 0;  i < sizeof(T)/2;  ++i)
            std::swap(((char *)p)[i], ((char *)p)[sizeof(T)-1-i]);
    }

Disclaimer: I haven't tried to compile this or test it yet.

Answer 5

i like this one, just for style :-)

long swap(long i) {
    char *c = (char *) &i;
    return * (long *) (char[]) {c[3], c[2], c[1], c[0] };
}

Answer 6

On most POSIX systems (through it's not in the POSIX standard) there is the endian.h, which can be used to determine what encoding your system uses. From there it's something like this:

unsigned int change_endian(unsinged int x)
{
    unsigned char *ptr = (unsigned char *)&x;
    return (ptr[0] << 24) | (ptr[1] << 16) | (ptr[2] << 8) | ptr[3];
}

This swaps the order (from big-endian to little endian):

If you have the number 0xDEADBEEF (on a little endian system stored as 0xEFBEADDE), ptr[0] will be 0xEF, ptr[1] is 0xBE, etc.

But if you want to use it for networking, then htons, htonl and htonll (and their inverse ntohs, ntohl and ntohll) will be helpfull to converting from host order to network order.