String.Format for Hex

Question

With below code, the colorsting always gives #DDDD. Green, Red and Space values int he How to fix this?

string colorstring;
int Blue = 13;
int Green = 0;
int Red = 0;
int Space = 14;
colorstring = String.Format("#{0:X}{0:X}{0:X}{0:X}", Blue, Green, Red, Space);

Solution 1

The number 0 in {0:X} refers to the position in the list or arguments. In this case 0 means use the first value, which is Blue. Use {1:X} for the second argument (Green), and so on.

colorstring = String.Format("#{0:X}{1:X}{2:X}{3:X}", Blue, Green, Red, Space);

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The syntax for the format parameter is described in the documentation:

Format Item Syntax

Each format item takes the following form and consists of the following components:

{ index[,alignment][:formatString]}

The matching braces ("{" and "}") are required.

Index Component

The mandatory index component, also called a parameter specifier, is a number starting from 0 that identifies a corresponding item in the list of objects. That is, the format item whose parameter specifier is 0 formats the first object in the list, the format item whose parameter specifier is 1 formats the second object in the list, and so on.

Multiple format items can refer to the same element in the list of objects by specifying the same parameter specifier. For example, you can format the same numeric value in hexadecimal, scientific, and number format by specifying a composite format string like this: "{0:X} {0:E} {0:N}".

Each format item can refer to any object in the list. For example, if there are three objects, you can format the second, first, and third object by specifying a composite format string like this: "{1} {0} {2}". An object that is not referenced by a format item is ignored. A runtime exception results if a parameter specifier designates an item outside the bounds of the list of objects.

Alignment Component

The optional alignment component is a signed integer indicating the preferred formatted field width. If the value of alignment is less than the length of the formatted string, alignment is ignored and the length of the formatted string is used as the field width. The formatted data in the field is right-aligned if alignment is positive and left-aligned if alignment is negative. If padding is necessary, white space is used. The comma is required if alignment is specified.

Format String Component

The optional formatString component is a format string that is appropriate for the type of object being formatted. Specify a standard or custom numeric format string if the corresponding object is a numeric value, a standard or custom date and time format string if the corresponding object is a DateTime object, or an enumeration format string if the corresponding object is an enumeration value. If formatString is not specified, the general ("G") format specifier for a numeric, date and time, or enumeration type is used. The colon is required if formatString is specified.

Note that in your case you only have the index and the format string. You have not specified (and do not need) an alignment component.

Solution 2

You can also pad the characters left by including a number following the X, such as this: string.format("0x{0:X8}", string_to_modify), which yields "0x00000C20".

Solution 3

Translate composed UInt32 color Value to CSS in .NET

I know the question applies to 3 input values (red green blue). But there may be the situation where you already have a composed 32bit Value. It looks like you want to send the data to some HTML CSS renderer (because of the #HEX format). Actually CSS wants you to print 6 or at least 3 zero filled hex digits here. so #{0:X06} or #{0:X03} would be required. Due to some strange behaviour, this always prints 8 digits instead of 6.

Solve this by:

String.Format("#{0:X02}{1:X02}{2:X02}", (Value & 0x00FF0000) >> 16, (Value & 0x0000FF00) >> 8, (Value & 0x000000FF) >> 0)

Solution 4

More generally.

byte[] buf = new byte[] { 123, 2, 233 };

string s = String.Concat(buf.Select(b => b.ToString("X2")));

Solution 5

If we have built in functions to convert your integer values to COLOR then why to worry.

string hexValue = string.Format("{0:X}", intColor);

Color brushes = System.Drawing.ColorTranslator.FromHtml("#"+hexValue);

View more solutions

Comments

[Azendale]

Could this strange behavior you mention be it trying to represent the alpha value of the color as another byte?

[BrainSlugs83]

Or you could just get the full Int32 of the color and write it out as {0:X6} (or {0:X8} if the alpha value is meaningful to you).

[Sold Out]

In .NET 3.5 fromat specifier "X2" casts exception: " Format String can be only "G", "g", "X", "x", "F", "f", "D" or "d". " In higher .NET versions other formatting is available. See here: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dwhawy9k(v=vs.85).aspx

[tofutim]

Mine doesn't pad 8

[tofutim]

I had to do ("{0}", value.ToString("X8"))