byte

Description

Datatype for bytes, 8 bits of information storing numerical values from 127 to -128. Bytes are a convenient datatype for sending information to and from the serial port and for representing letters in a simpler format than the char datatype. The first time a variable is written, it must be declared with a statement expressing its datatype. Subsequent uses of this variable must not reference the datatype because Processing will think the variable is being declared again.

Related

• int
• float
• boolean

Example

 
// Declare variable 'a' of type byte
byte a;

// Assign 23 to 'a'
a = 23;

// Declare variable 'b' and assign it the value -128
byte b = -128;

// Declare variable 'c' and assign it the sum of 'a' and 'b'.
// By default, when two bytes are added, they are converted
// to an integer. To keep the answer as a byte, cast them
// to a byte with the byte() conversion function
byte c = byte(a + b);