Convert.ToString() to binary format not working as expected

Question

int i = 20;
string output = Convert.ToString(i, 2); // Base2 formatting
i = -20;
output = Convert.ToString(i, 2);

Value   Expected                       


        

Answer 1

This is basically the same answer as everyone else has posted, just packaged in a method.

  /// 

  /// Method to convert an integer to a string containing the number in binary. A negative 
  /// number will be formatted as a 32-character binary number in two's compliment.
  /// 
  /// self-explanatory
  /// if binary number contains fewer characters leading zeros are added
  /// string as described above
  public static string IntegerToBinaryString(int theNumber, int minimumDigits)
  {
     return Convert.ToString(theNumber, 2).PadLeft(minimumDigits, '0');
  }