convert string to fixed size byte array in Go

Question

Is there convenient way for initial a byte array?

package main
import "fmt"
type T1 struct {
  f1 [5]byte  // I use fixed size here for file format or network packet format.
  f2 int32
}
func main() {
  t := T1{"abcde", 3}
  // t:= T1{[5]byte{'a','b','c','d','e'}, 3} // work, but ugly
  fmt.Println(t)
}

prog.go:8: cannot use "abcde" (type string) as type [5]uint8 in field value

if I change the line to t := T1{[5]byte("abcde"), 3}

prog.go:8: cannot convert "abcde" (type string) to type [5]uint8

Answer 1

You could copy the string into a slice of the byte array:

package main
import "fmt"
type T1 struct {
  f1 [5]byte
  f2 int
}
func main() {
  t := T1{f2: 3}
  copy(t.f1[:], "abcde")
  fmt.Println(t)
}

Edit: using named form of T1 literal, by jimt's suggestion.

Answer 2

Is there any particular reason you need a byte array? In Go you will be better off using a byte slice instead.

package main
import "fmt"

type T1 struct {
   f1 []byte
   f2 int
}

func main() {
  t := T1{[]byte("abcde"), 3}
  fmt.Println(t)
}