BitString.js

A class to read and write packed binary strings, bit-by-bit.

var BitString = require('bitstring');
 
var bits = new BitString();
bits.writebits(4)
    .writebits(255)
    .writebits(1,4)
    .writebits(8)
 
bits.number()       == 10478336
bits.hex()          == '9fe30'
bits.bin()          == '10011111111000110'
bits.bytearray() // == [ 159, 227, 0 ]

Usage

On the server, install it:

npm install bitstring

And then just require it:

var BitString = require('bitstring');

In the browser, you have a number of options. You can download this package and include bitstring.js somewhere, which will add itself as a global, window.BitString. Alternatively, if you're using something like [require.js][require_js] to wrap your modules, BitString will check for the module variable and properly set itself as module.exports.

API

BitString( source='', buf=[] )

Create a new BitString buffer. Optionally takes source data as a String, and/or an Array to use as the byte-buffer.

.size() -> Number

The size in bytes of the BitString.

.bitsize() -> Number

The size in bits of the BitString.

.writebits(n, [size]) -> this

Writes the bits n to the stream (bits must be supplied as a number). Supplying n=0 will write one bit. Supplying the optional parameter size treats the bits as a field with the given length.

.flush() -> this

Flushes any pending bits to the stream.

.truncate() -> this

Truncates the stream to zero bits.

.seek(n, mode=SEEK_ABSOLUTE) -> this

Flushes the bit-buffer and moves to the given byte-offset. Mode Constants:

BitString.SEEK_ABSOLUTE = 0
BitString.SEEK_RELATIVE = 1
BitString.SEEK_FROM_EOF = 2

.tell() -> Number

Returns the current position of the cursor as a byte offset from the start of the stream.

.readbits(n) -> String

Reads the next n bits from the stream.

.peek(n) -> String

Reads the next n bits without moving the cursor.

.hasMore() -> Boolean

True if there is more data to read.

.each(fn, cxt=this) -> this

Iterates over the bytes in the BitString.

.map(fn, cxt=this) -> Array

As Array.map, but over the bytes in the BitString.

.reduce(fn, acc, cxt=this)

As Array.reduce, but over the bytes in the BitString.

.bytearray() -> Array

Returns the stream as an Array of bytes.

.bin(byte_sep='') -> String

Dumps the stream as a binary string. Unlike .number(), .bin() will not cause int overflow.

.hex() -> String

Returns the stream as a hex string.

.number() -> Number

Returns the buffer as a number. Use this with obvious caution.

.dump() -> String

Dumps the stream as a string of UTF8 characters; does not flush or change cursor position.

.repr(dump_buf=true) -> String

String representation of the data-structure; if dump_buf is true, the contents of the stream will be included, but it will not flush or change cursor position.

.toString() -> String

Dumps the stream as a string; flushes the bit-buffer but leaves cursor position unchanged.

License

MIT: http://dsc.mit-license.org/