Convert Java string to byte array

Question

I have a byte array which I'm encrypting then converting to a string so it can be transmitted. When I receive the string I then have to convert the string back into a byte array so it can be decrypted. I have checked that the received string matches the sent string (including length) but when I use something like str.getBytes() to convert it to a byte array, it does not match my original byte array.

example output:

SENT: WzShnf/fOV3NZO2nqnOXZbM1lNwVpcq3qxmXiiv6M5xqC1A3
SENT STR: [B@3e4a9a7d
RECEIVED STR: [B@3e4a9a7d
RECEIVED: W0JAM2U0YTlhN2Q=

any ideas how i can convert the received string to a byte array which matches the sent byte array?

Thanks

Answer 1

You used array.toString(), which is implemented like this:

return "[B@" + Integer.toString(this.hashCode(), 16);

(In fact it inherits the definition from Object, and the part before the @ simply is the result of getClass().getName().)

And the hashCode here does not depend on the content.

Instead, use new String(array, encoding).

Of course, this only works for byte-arrays which are really representable as Java strings (which then contain readable characters), not for arbitrary arrays. There better use base64 like Bozho recommended (but make sure to use it on both sides of the channel).