NumPy: Convert the raw data in an array to a binary string and then create an array

Last update on April 26 2025 12:38:39 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Raw Array to Binary String/Back

Write a NumPy program to convert raw array data to a binary string and create an array.

Sample Solution:

Python Code:

# Importing the NumPy library and aliasing it as 'np'
import numpy as np

# Creating a NumPy array 'x' containing floating-point values
x = np.array([10, 20, 30], float)

# Printing a message indicating the original array will be displayed
print("Original array:")

# Printing the original array 'x' with its elements
print(x)

# Converting the array 'x' to a binary string using the 'tostring()' method
s = x.tostring()

# Printing a message indicating the display of the binary string array
print("Binary string array:")

# Printing the binary string representation of array 'x'
print(s)

# Printing a message indicating the array creation using 'fromstring()'
print("Array using fromstring():")

# Creating a new NumPy array 'y' by converting the binary string 's' back to an array using 'fromstring()'
# Note: This method may be deprecated in future versions of NumPy.
y = np.fromstring(s)

# Printing the array 'y' obtained from the binary string
print(y) 

Sample Output:

Original array:                                                                        
[ 10.  20.  30.]                                                                       
Binary string array:                                                                   
b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00$@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x004@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00>@'      
Array using fromstring():                                                              
[ 10.  20.  30.]

Explanation:

In the above code –

x = np.array([10, 20, 30], float): Create a NumPy array 'x' with the elements 10, 20, and 30 of float data type.

s = x.tostring(): This line converts the NumPy array 'x' to a binary string 's' using the 'tostring()' method. Note that since NumPy 1.9, the preferred method is 'tobytes()' instead of 'tostring()'.

y = np.fromstring(s): Create a new NumPy array 'y' from the binary string 's' using the 'np.fromstring()' function. The new array 'y' will have the same elements as the original array 'x'.

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

• Write a NumPy program to convert an array to a binary string using the tobytes() method and then reconstruct it with frombuffer.
• Create a function that converts an array into a binary representation and then decodes it back into an array.
• Test the conversion on arrays with different data types to ensure that the binary data is correctly interpreted.
• Compare the outputs of np.ndarray.tobytes() with a manual binary conversion method for consistency.

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