Convert an array of bytes to a structure

[jhammer]

How can I convert an array of bytes to a given structure in C#?
I have data sent to me in a socket (something like void*). I know the structure of the data. I may have strings in it (with variable length - I can't predict it).

What's my best solution?

[efkefk]

I have the same problem.
May be you know the answer now ?

[efkefk]

I found a solution here (with MemoryStream): http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=318431&highlight=MemoryStream

But not really friendly because my arrays of bytes are complex.

A "CopyMemory" function (coming from the so close c++) would have been so nice !

[MadHatter]

you can only marshal the struct if it only contains blittable members. otherwise you're going to have to hand copy the contents of your byte array into the members of your struct. since you have strings, good luck.

if you do a search on GCHandle in the forums here, I showed how to copy a struct to a byte array (the topic was on sending a struct over the network or something like that) in that thread.

[efkefk]

Thank you for your answer.

I took already some time to do the job with "MemoryStream" and "BinaryReader", and it seems to work.

Anyway, I will have a look at "GCHandle".