be16toh - Linux

Overview

be16toh converts a 16-bit big-endian binary value to a host-byte-order 16-bit integer. It is commonly used in network programming or data conversion tasks to ensure correct interpretation of data across different systems.

Syntax

be16toh <hexadecimal-value>

Options/Flags

None.

Examples

Convert a big-endian value to host byte order:

$ be16toh 0x1234
4660

Use in a script for data conversion:

#!/bin/bash

hex_value="0x1234"
host_value=$(be16toh $hex_value)
echo "Host byte order: $host_value"

Common Issues

• Endianness Mismatch: Ensure that the input value is in big-endian format, as specified in the command’s syntax.
• Invalid Input: Non-hexadecimal characters or an odd number of digits in the input value will result in an error.

Integration

Combine with other commands:

• od: Display the converted value in different formats (e.g., decimal, hexadecimal).
• printf: Format the converted value in a specific way.

Example script:

#!/bin/bash

hex_value="0x1234"
converted_value=$(be16toh $hex_value)
printf "Decimal value: %d\n" $converted_value
od -t u2 -N 2 <<< $hex_value

Related Commands

• le16toh: Converts a 16-bit little-endian value to a host-byte-order integer.
• htonl: Converts a 32-bit integer to network byte order (big-endian).
• ntohl: Converts a 32-bit network byte order integer to host byte order.