NumPy: Convert the raw data in an array to a binary string and then create an array

Last update on August 29 2025 12:49:13 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Raw Array to Binary String/Back

Write a NumPy program to convert raw array data to a binary string and create an array.

Sample Solution:

Python Code:

# Importing the NumPy library and aliasing it as 'np'
import numpy as np

# Creating a NumPy array 'x' containing floating-point values
x = np.array([10, 20, 30], float)

# Printing a message indicating the original array will be displayed
print("Original array:")

# Printing the original array 'x' with its elements
print(x)

# Converting the array 'x' to a binary string using the 'tostring()' method
s = x.tostring()

# Printing a message indicating the display of the binary string array
print("Binary string array:")

# Printing the binary string representation of array 'x'
print(s)

# Printing a message indicating the array creation using 'fromstring()'
print("Array using fromstring():")

# Creating a new NumPy array 'y' by converting the binary string 's' back to an array using 'fromstring()'
# Note: This method may be deprecated in future versions of NumPy.
y = np.fromstring(s)

# Printing the array 'y' obtained from the binary string
print(y)

Sample Output:

Original array:                                                                        
[ 10.  20.  30.]                                                                       
Binary string array:                                                                   
b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00$@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x004@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00>@'      
Array using fromstring():                                                              
[ 10.  20.  30.]

Explanation:

In the above code –

x = np.array([10, 20, 30], float): Create a NumPy array 'x' with the elements 10, 20, and 30 of float data type.

s = x.tostring(): This line converts the NumPy array 'x' to a binary string 's' using the 'tostring()' method. Note that since NumPy 1.9, the preferred method is 'tobytes()' instead of 'tostring()'.

y = np.fromstring(s): Create a new NumPy array 'y' from the binary string 's' using the 'np.fromstring()' function. The new array 'y' will have the same elements as the original array 'x'.

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

Write a NumPy program to convert an array to a binary string using the tobytes() method and then reconstruct it with frombuffer.
Create a function that converts an array into a binary representation and then decodes it back into an array.
Test the conversion on arrays with different data types to ensure that the binary data is correctly interpreted.
Compare the outputs of np.ndarray.tobytes() with a manual binary conversion method for consistency.

Go to:

PREV : Print All Array Values
NEXT : Sum/Product of Array Elements

Python-Numpy Code Editor:

Have another way to solve this solution? Contribute your code (and comments) through Disqus.