From: Phrogz <gavin@...>
Date: 2006-09-01T01:20:32+09:00
Subject: Integer to byte string - Speed improvements

I'm writing code that needs to store an integer as a sequence of bytes.
Array#pack works for 1-, 2-, and 4-byte integers, but I want to be able
to support Bignums as well.

I have working code below. I'm happy with it. However, I thought I'd
pose the question to the list: how much faster can you make the below
code run?

# The natural log of 2 (for base-2 logarithms)
Math::LOG2 = Math.log( 2 )

class Integer
  # Converts the integer into a string, where the value of each
character
  # is a byte in the bit representation of the integer.
  # Low-order bytes appear first in the string.
  #
  # If the number of characters is not specified, the fewest number of
  # characters that can represent the integer is used.
  #
  #
  def to_bytestring( num_chars=nil )
    unless num_chars
      bits_needed = Math.log( self ) / Math::LOG2
      num_chars = ( bits_needed / 8.0 ).ceil
    end
    if pack_code = { 1=>'C', 2=>'S', 4=>'L' }[ num_chars ]
      [ self ].pack( pack_code )
    else
      (0...(num_chars)).map{ |i|
        (( self >> i*8 ) & 0xFF ).chr
      }.join
    end
  end

  # Creates an integer from a byte string.
  # See Integer#to_bytestring for more information.
  def self.from_bytestring( str )
    val = 0
    index = 0
    str.each_byte{ |b|
      val += b << 8 * index
      index += 1
    }
    val
  end

end

[
  0x48,
  0x6948,
  0x646c726f57206f6c6c6548,
  0x217962755220666f207463657073612074656577732061207369206d756e676942
].each{ |i| puts i, i.to_bytestring, '' }

#=> 72
#=> H

#=> 26952
#=> Hi

#=> 121404708493354166158910792
#=> Hello World
#=>
3876042760240808297111079005855559646422331404814505579794973210389374306838850
#=> Bignum is a sweet aspect of Ruby!