bitjs/docs/bitjs.io.md

bitjs.io

This package includes stream objects for reading and writing binary data at the bit and byte level: BitStream, ByteStream.

Streams are given an ArrayBuffer of bytes and keeps track of where in the stream you are. As you read through the stream, the pointer is advanced through the buffer. If you need to peek at a number without advancing the pointer, use the peek methods.

BitStream

A bit stream is a way to read a variable number of bits from a series of bytes. This is useful for parsing certain protocols (for example pkzip or rar algorithm). Note that the order of reading bits can go from least-to-most significant bit, or the reverse.

Least-to-Most Direction

const bstream = new BitStream(ab, false /* mtl */);
bstream.readBits(6); // (blue)  0b001011 = 11
bstream.readBits(5); // (red)   0b11001 = 25
bstream.readBits(8); // (green) 0b10000010 = 130

Most-to-Least Direction

const bstream = new BitStream(ab, true /* mtl */);
bstream.readBits(6); // (blue)  0b010010 = 18
bstream.readBits(5); // (red)   0b11000 = 24
bstream.readBits(8); // (green) 0b10110100 = 180

ByteStream

A ByteStream is a convenient way to read numbers and ASCII strings from a set of bytes. For example, interpreting 2 bytes in the stream as a number is done by calling someByteStream.readNumber(2). By default, the byte stream is considered Little Endian, but can be toggled at any point using someByteStream.setBigEndian() and toggled back with someByteStream.setLittleEndian().

By default, numbers are unsigned, but peekSignedNumber(n) and readSignedNumber(n) exist for signed numbers.

  const byteStream = new ByteStream(someArrayBuffer);
  byteStream.setBigEndian();
  byteStream.readNumber(2); // skip two bytes.
  // Interpret next 2 bytes as the string length.
  const strLen = byteStream.readNumber(2); 
  // Read in the rest of the ASCII string.
  const someString = byteStream.readNumber(strLen);
  ...