v9n · January 1, 2023 03:01 · Mar 15, 2013
diff --git a/binary.rb b/binary.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# not the most efficient way,
+# but you get the idea.
+
+str = "meow"
+
+# convert string to binary
+bin = str.bytes.map{|d| d.to_s(2)}.map{|b| b.rjust(8, '0')}.join
+puts bin
+
+# and convert it back to a string
+str = bin.scan(/.{8}/).map{|m| m.to_i(2)}.map{|n| n.chr}.join
+puts str
+
+# and here come the explanations
+bin = str.
+    bytes. # split the string into it's bytes
+    map{|d| # iterate over the bytes
+        d.to_s(2)}. # turn each into string in base 2
+        map{|b| # iterate over the strings
+            b.rjust(8, '0')}. # pad each to be 8 characters wide (fill with zeros on right side)
+                join # piece them together as string
+
+str = bin.
+    scan(/.{8}/). # split the string into groups of 8 characters (.{8} matches 8 characters)
+    map{|m|         # iterate over the groups
+        m.to_i(2)}. # turn each to an int, interpreting it to be in base 2
+        map{|n|     # for each int
+            n.chr}. # turn it into a character
+                join # join the resulting characters into a string