convert big endian to little endian in C [without using provided func] [closed]

Answer 1

Here's a function I have been using - tested and works on any basic data type:

//  SwapBytes.h
//
//  Function to perform in-place endian conversion of basic types
//
//  Usage:
//
//    double d;
//    SwapBytes(&d, sizeof(d));
//

inline void SwapBytes(void *source, int size)
{
    typedef unsigned char TwoBytes[2];
    typedef unsigned char FourBytes[4];
    typedef unsigned char EightBytes[8];

    unsigned char temp;

    if(size == 2)
    {
        TwoBytes *src = (TwoBytes *)source;
        temp = (*src)[0];
        (*src)[0] = (*src)[1];
        (*src)[1] = temp;

        return;
    }

    if(size == 4)
    {
        FourBytes *src = (FourBytes *)source;
        temp = (*src)[0];
        (*src)[0] = (*src)[3];
        (*src)[3] = temp;

        temp = (*src)[1];
        (*src)[1] = (*src)[2];
        (*src)[2] = temp;

        return;
    }

    if(size == 8)
    {
        EightBytes *src = (EightBytes *)source;
        temp = (*src)[0];
        (*src)[0] = (*src)[7];
        (*src)[7] = temp;

        temp = (*src)[1];
        (*src)[1] = (*src)[6];
        (*src)[6] = temp;

        temp = (*src)[2];
        (*src)[2] = (*src)[5];
        (*src)[5] = temp;

        temp = (*src)[3];
        (*src)[3] = (*src)[4];
        (*src)[4] = temp;

        return;
    }

}

Answer 2

This code snippet can convert 32bit little Endian number to Big Endian number.

#include <stdio.h>
main(){    
    unsigned int i = 0xfafbfcfd;
    unsigned int j;    
    j= ((i&0xff000000)>>24)| ((i&0xff0000)>>8) | ((i&0xff00)<<8) | ((i&0xff)<<24);    
    printf("unsigned int j = %x\n ", j);    
}

Answer 3

Assuming what you need is a simple byte swap, try something like

Unsigned 16 bit conversion:

swapped = (num>>8) | (num<<8);

Unsigned 32-bit conversion:

swapped = ((num>>24)&0xff) | // move byte 3 to byte 0
                    ((num<<8)&0xff0000) | // move byte 1 to byte 2
                    ((num>>8)&0xff00) | // move byte 2 to byte 1
                    ((num<<24)&0xff000000); // byte 0 to byte 3

This swaps the byte orders from positions 1234 to 4321. If your input was 0xdeadbeef, a 32-bit endian swap might have output of 0xefbeadde.

The code above should be cleaned up with macros or at least constants instead of magic numbers, but hopefully it helps as is

EDIT: as another answer pointed out, there are platform, OS, and instruction set specific alternatives which can be MUCH faster than the above. In the Linux kernel there are macros (cpu_to_be32 for example) which handle endianness pretty nicely. But these alternatives are specific to their environments. In practice endianness is best dealt with using a blend of available approaches

Answer 4

If you need macros (e.g. embedded system):

#define SWAP_UINT16(x) (((x) >> 8) | ((x) << 8))
#define SWAP_UINT32(x) (((x) >> 24) | (((x) & 0x00FF0000) >> 8) | (((x) & 0x0000FF00) << 8) | ((x) << 24))

Answer 5

Will this work / be faster?

 uint32_t swapped, result;

((byte*)&swapped)[0] = ((byte*)&result)[3];
((byte*)&swapped)[1] = ((byte*)&result)[2];
((byte*)&swapped)[2] = ((byte*)&result)[1];
((byte*)&swapped)[3] = ((byte*)&result)[0];

Answer 6

here's a way using the SSSE3 instruction pshufb using its Intel intrinsic, assuming you have a multiple of 4 ints:

unsigned int *bswap(unsigned int *destination, unsigned int *source, int length) {
    int i;
    __m128i mask = _mm_set_epi8(12, 13, 14, 15, 8, 9, 10, 11, 4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2, 3);
    for (i = 0; i < length; i += 4) {
        _mm_storeu_si128((__m128i *)&destination[i],
        _mm_shuffle_epi8(_mm_loadu_si128((__m128i *)&source[i]), mask));
    }
    return destination;
}