Convert.ToString can be used to convert a number to its equivalent string representation in a specified base.
Example:
string binary = Convert.ToString(5, 2); // convert 5 to its binary representation
Console.WriteLine(binary); // prints 101
However, as pointed out by the comments, Convert.ToString only supports the following limited - but typically sufficient - set of bases: 2, 8, 10, or 16.
Update (to meet the requirement to convert to any base):
I'm not aware of any method in the BCL which is capable to convert numbers to any base so you would have to write your own small utility function. A simple sample would look like that (note that this surely can be made faster by replacing the string concatenation):
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// convert to binary
string binary = IntToString(42, new char[] { '0', '1' });
// convert to hexadecimal
string hex = IntToString(42,
new char[] { '0', '1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9',
'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F'});
// convert to hexavigesimal (base 26, A-Z)
string hexavigesimal = IntToString(42,
Enumerable.Range('A', 26).Select(x => (char)x).ToArray());
// convert to sexagesimal
string xx = IntToString(42,
new char[] { '0','1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9',
'A','B','C','D','E','F','G','H','I','J','K','L','M','N','O','P','Q','R','S','T','U','V','W','X','Y','Z',
'a','b','c','d','e','f','g','h','i','j','k','l','m','n','o','p','q','r','s','t','u','v','w','x'});
}
public static string IntToString(int value, char[] baseChars)
{
string result = string.Empty;
int targetBase = baseChars.Length;
do
{
result = baseChars[value % targetBase] + result;
value = value / targetBase;
}
while (value > 0);
return result;
}
/// <summary>
/// An optimized method using an array as buffer instead of
/// string concatenation. This is faster for return values having
/// a length > 1.
/// </summary>
public static string IntToStringFast(int value, char[] baseChars)
{
// 32 is the worst cast buffer size for base 2 and int.MaxValue
int i = 32;
char[] buffer = new char[i];
int targetBase= baseChars.Length;
do
{
buffer[--i] = baseChars[value % targetBase];
value = value / targetBase;
}
while (value > 0);
char[] result = new char[32 - i];
Array.Copy(buffer, i, result, 0, 32 - i);
return new string(result);
}
}
Update 2 (Performance Improvement)
Using an array buffer instead of string concatenation to build the result string gives a performance improvement especially on large number (see method IntToStringFast). In the best case (i.e. the longest possible input) this method is roughly three times faster. However, for 1-digit numbers (i.e. 1-digit in the target base), IntToString will be faster.
