C# ByteSize
last modified July 7, 2023
In this article we show how to use ByteSize library to work with size values in C#.
The authors define ByteSize as a utility class that makes byte size representation in code easier by removing ambiguity of the value being represented.
In computer usage both metric and binary systems are used to represent multiples of size units. RAM manufactures use binary system (1 KB is 1024 bytes) while disk manufactures use metric system (1 KB is 1000 bytes). To handle the confusion, a new standard of symbols was developed. It defines the kibi, mebi, gibi, tebi, pebi, exbi, zebi, and yobi symbols. These symbols represents powers of 2.
ByteSize library helps us transform between these two systems. ByteSize assumes 1 KB == 1000 B and 1 KiB == 1024 B to adhere to the IEC and NIST standards.
$ dotnet add package ByteSize
We add the package to the project.
Simple example
We want to transform a gigabyte value to a kilobyte value and a bit value to a megabyte.
using ByteSizeLib;
double n = 1.59;
ByteSize b = ByteSize.FromGigaBytes(n);
Console.WriteLine($"{b} is {b.ToString("#,# KB")}");
long n2 = 12_226_311;
ByteSize b2 = ByteSize.FromBits(n2);
Console.WriteLine($"{b2.ToString("b")} is {b2.ToString("0.#### MB")}");
We want to express 1.59 GB in KB and 12226311 bits in MB.
ByteSize b = ByteSize.FromGigaBytes(n);
We create a ByteSize struct from a GB value with
ByteSize.FromGigaBytes.
Console.WriteLine($"{b} is {b.ToString("#,# KB")}");
We output the value in KB using the ToString method.
ByteSize b2 = ByteSize.FromBits(n2);
Console.WriteLine($"{b2.ToString("b")} is {b2.ToString("0.#### MB")}");
Likewise, we use the ByteSize.FromBits for the bits and again
ToString to represent the value in MB.
$ dotnet run 1.59 GB is 1,590,000 KB 12226311 b is 1.5283 MB
File size
In the next example, we get the size of a file.
using ByteSizeLib;
var fi = new FileInfo("Program.cs");
var n = fi.Length;
ByteSize bs = ByteSize.FromBytes(n);
Console.WriteLine(bs);
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("KB"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("KiB"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("B"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("b"));
The program prints the size of a file in multiple symbols.
var fi = new FileInfo("Program.cs");
var n = fi.Length;
Using FileInfo we get the size of the given file in bytes.
ByteSize bs = ByteSize.FromBytes(n);
We create the ByteSize struct from the value using
ByteSize.FromBytes.
Console.WriteLine(bs);
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("KB"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("KiB"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("B"));
Console.WriteLine(bs.ToString("b"));
We print the file size in multiple size representations.
$ dotnet run 1.832 KB 1.83 KB 1.79 KiB 1832 B 14656 b
The ToString method
The ByteSize's ToString method converts the value of
the current object to a decimal byte string. The symbol used is the largest unit
the corresponding value is greater than or equal to.
using ByteSizeLib;
double n = 1_099_511_627_776;
string[] syms = { "b", "B", "KB", "Kib", "MB", "MiB", "GB", "GiB",
"0.######### GB" };
foreach (var sym in syms)
{
var val = ByteSize.FromBytes(n).ToString(sym);
Console.WriteLine(val);
}
The program displays a double value in different multiples of units.
$ dotnet run 8796093022208 b 1099511627776 B 1099511627.78 KB 1073741824 Kib 1099511.63 MB 1048576 MiB 1099.51 GB 1024 GiB 1099.511627776 GB
Parsing string values
The Parse method converts the string representation of a binary or
decimal byte to its ByteSize equivalent.
using ByteSizeLib;
string[] vals = { "8192 B", "3.6 KB", "1.96 kib", "3.54kb" };
foreach (var val in vals)
{
ByteSize n = ByteSize.Parse(val);
Console.WriteLine(n.ToString("KB"));
}
In the example, we parse four string values, convert them to ByteSize
and display them in KB.
$ dotnet run 8.19 KB 3.6 KB 2.01 KB 3.54 KB
Source
In this article we have worked with the ByteSize library.
Author
List all C# tutorials.