How to convert a structure to a byte array in C#?

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This is fairly easy, using marshalling.

Top of file

using System.Runtime.InteropServices

Function

byte[] getBytes(CIFSPacket str) {
    int size = Marshal.SizeOf(str);
    byte[] arr = new byte[size];

    IntPtr ptr = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(size);
    Marshal.StructureToPtr(str, ptr, true);
    Marshal.Copy(ptr, arr, 0, size);
    Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptr);
    return arr;
}

And to convert it back:

CIFSPacket fromBytes(byte[] arr) {
    CIFSPacket str = new CIFSPacket();

    int size = Marshal.SizeOf(str);
    IntPtr ptr = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(size);

    Marshal.Copy(arr, 0, ptr, size);

    str = (CIFSPacket)Marshal.PtrToStructure(ptr, str.GetType());
    Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptr);

    return str;
}

In your structure, you will need to put this before a string

[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 100)]
public string Buffer;

And make sure SizeConst is as big as your biggest possible string.

And you should probably read this:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/4ca6d5z7.aspx

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