From: Reid Thompson <Reid.Thompson@...>
Date: 2012-04-28T04:16:37+09:00
Subject: Re: why does this return 255 bits instead of 256 (and general bit byte hex string array crypt mayhem

On Sat, 2012-04-28 at 03:10 +0900, instance_variable ok wrote:
> Huh from IRB it shows 256 when I just went through it like you did, but 
> I know for sure earlier in my program it was saying 255 because it was 
> driving me crazy why it wasn't 256. I must have done it differently or 
> something. Anyway thanks!
> 
> I have one more question and then will leave you all alone :P
> 
> why is it if I do this
> 
> hash = OpenSSL::Digest::SHA256.new
> test_hash_value = hash << "anything"
> puts test_hash_value.length
> 
> it says 64 instead of 32 (*8 should = 256 but is equal to 512?)
> 
> Is it because of something to do with hex?
> 

what os are you on 

$ irb
irb(main):001:0> require 'openssl'
=> true
irb(main):002:0> require 'digest/sha2'
=> true
irb(main):003:0> hash = OpenSSL::Digest::SHA256.new
=> #<OpenSSL::Digest::SHA256:
e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855>
irb(main):004:0> test_hash_value = hash << "anything"
=> #<OpenSSL::Digest::SHA256:
ee0874170b7f6f32b8c2ac9573c428d35b575270a66b757c2c0185d2bd09718d>
irb(main):005:0> puts test_hash_value.length
32
=> nil
irb(main):006:0>