convert golang string format of a byte array back into original byte array

Question

So i started with a message as a string, turned it into a byte array and printed it, I've now lost the original string but have the string output of the byte array. I want my string back. (don't ask me why i did this or how... I didn't really, this is just for illustration purposes).

Essentially the bit I'm missing is a convenient way to turn the printed representation of a byte array back into a byte array.

See the example below to explain better what I'm trying to do (complete 'otherWay' func):

go playground

package main

import (
    "fmt"
)

func main() {
    // started with originalString and lost it
    originalString := "I'm a string I am!"

    // I have the output of 'oneWay()' in my clipboard, so could paste into code
    golangStringFormatOfByteArray := oneWay(originalString)
    fmt.Println("String as bytes:", golangStringFormatOfByteArray )

    // get original string back
    returnString := otherWay(golangStringFormatOfByteArray )
    fmt.Println("Original String:", returnString )

}

func oneWay(theString string) string {

    theStringAsBytes := []byte(theString)
    golangStringFormatOfByteArray := fmt.Sprintf("%v", theStringAsBytes)

    return golangStringFormatOfByteArray 
}

func otherWay(stringFormat string) string {

    // how do I get the original string back

    return "I want you back"
}

you can just do string(byteArray). String is defined as simply []byte, so that simple conversion should do the trick. — captncraig
– captncraig, Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 19:36
you mean this: not my original string - play.golang.org/p/cw39ai7S5_ — SwiftD
– SwiftD, Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 19:37
Oh, you actually printed it to the [34 23 45 56] format? Why? If you are converting it for debugging or something, don't discard the original. — captncraig
– captncraig, Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 19:38
You're not converting your string into its corresponding byte slice, you're turning into another string that just happens to be the default go format for printing a byte slice. What are you trying to do exactly? — Mr_Pink
– Mr_Pink, Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 19:39
If you are printing it a certain way for debugging, just print it, but don't overwrite the original value with your debug value. — captncraig
– captncraig, Commented Sep 28, 2017 at 19:53

Kenny Grant · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-28 20:58:34Z

9

Well, that was a fun exercise, if a little pointless:

s := "WAT"

// Output as bytes
b := []byte(s)
bs := fmt.Sprintf("%v", b)

// Read bytes
var bb []byte
for _, ps := range strings.Split(strings.Trim(bs, "[]"), " ") {
    pi,_ := strconv.Atoi(ps)
    bb = append(bb,byte(pi))
}

// Print result
fmt.Printf("%s -> %s -> %s",s,bs,bb)

https://play.golang.org/p/6cRYVJ7goD

WAT -> [87 65 84] -> WAT

edited Sep 28, 2017 at 20:58

answered Sep 28, 2017 at 20:57

Kenny Grant

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