by ~:. Jeff 'Capes' .:~ ()
Category: String Manipulation
Compatability: Visual Basic 5.0
Difficulty: Beginner
Date Added: Wed 3rd February 2021
Rating: 
(4 Votes)
This is a simple example of converting a string data into a hex formatted (packet) view.
This will be mostly usefull when sending and receiving data with/through WinSock!
Packet displays data in hex and 'readable' characters like the packet below,
which seems to be the text you're reading right at this time!
48 65 6C 6C 6F 2C 0D 0A 0D 0A 54 68 69 73 20 69 Hello,....This.i
73 20 61 6E 20 65 78 61 6D 70 6C 65 20 6F 66 20 s.an.example.of.
63 6F 6E 76 65 72 74 69 6E 67 20 61 20 73 74 72 converting.a.str
69 6E 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 69 6E 74 6F 20 61 20 ing.data.into.a.
68 65 78 20 66 6F 72 6D 61 74 74 65 64 20 28 70 hex.formatted.(p
61 63 6B 65 74 29 20 76 69 65 77 2E 0D 0A 54 68 acket).view...Th
69 73 20 77 69 6C 6C 20 62 65 20 6D 6F 73 74 6C is.will.be.mostl
79 20 75 73 65 66 75 6C 6C 20 77 68 65 6E 20 73 y.usefull.when.s
65 6E 64 69 6E 67 20 61 6E 64 20 72 65 63 65 69 ending.and.recei
76 69 6E 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 77 69 74 68 2F 74 ving.data.with/t
68 72 6F 75 67 68 20 57 69 6E 53 6F 63 6B 21 0D hrough.WinSock!.
0A 0D 0A 50 61 63 6B 65 74 20 64 69 73 70 6C 61 ...Packet.displa
79 73 20 64 61 74 61 20 69 6E 20 68 65 78 20 61 ys.data.in.hex.a
6E 64 20 27 72 65 61 64 61 62 6C 65 27 20 63 68 nd.'readable'.ch
61 72 61 63 74 65 72 73 20 6C 69 6B 65 20 74 68 aracters.like.th
65 20 70 61 63 6B 65 74 20 62 65 6C 6F 77 2C 0D e.packet.below,.
0A 77 68 69 63 68 20 73 65 65 6D 73 20 74 6F 20 .which.seems.to.
62 65 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 78 74 20 79 6F 75 27 be.the.text.you'
72 65 20 72 65 61 64 69 6E 67 20 72 69 67 68 74 re.reading.right
20 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 6D 65 21 .at.this.time!
Inputs
data string (i.e.: data from WinSock (vbString))
Assumes
usefull for beginners
Code Returns
data in Hexpacket format
VBcodersPublic Function PrintPacket(ByVal Packet As String) As String
' input : data string (i.e.: data from WinSock (vbString))
' output : data in Hexpacket format [best formatted in "Courier New"]
On Error GoTo dspErr
Dim tHex As String, tmpHex As String, _
tChr As Integer, tmpASCII As String, _
HexLine As String, i As Long
For i = 1 To Len(Packet)
tHex = Hex(Asc(Mid(Packet, i, 1)))
tHex = String((2 - Len(tHex)), "0") & tHex
tmpHex = tmpHex & tHex
tChr = Asc(Mid(Packet, i, 1))
If tChr > 126 Or tChr < 33 Then
tmpASCII = tmpASCII & "."
Else
tmpASCII = tmpASCII & Mid(Packet, i, 1)
End If
If Len(tmpHex) = 47 Then
HexLine = HexLine & tmpHex & Space(5) & tmpASCII & vbCrLf
tmpHex = ""
tmpASCII = ""
Else
tmpHex = tmpHex & " "
End If
If i >= Len(Packet) Then
HexLine = HexLine & tmpHex & String((47 - Len(tmpHex)), " ") & Space(5) & tmpASCII & vbCrLf
End If
DoEvents
Next i
PrintPacket = HexLine
Exit Function
dspErr:
MsgBox "Error while converting string to packet", vbCritical, "PrintPacket error"
End Function