# Can I use base 2 (binary) numbers in the expression language? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [July 28, 2022, 4:36am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384 "2022-07-28T04:36:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 4:36am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/1 "2022-07-28T04:36:35Z")
if I use `binEnc` in a case, I’d like to use binary numbers instead of decimal in the case conditions to make it easier to read. e.g. ```auto case(binEnc(1,1,0) ,b000, '' ,b010, '' ,b100, '' ,b110, '' ,'Invalid' ) ``` Is this possible? I can’t find anything in the user manual… I guess I could use: ```auto case(binEnc(1,1,0) ,binEnc(0,0,0), '' ,binEnc(0,1,0), '' ,binEnc(1,0,0), '' ,binEnc(1,1,0), '' ,'Invalid' ) ``` but that’s a bit… yeah… I know some of you are computers and can just convert 53 to `110101`, but I’m not and prefer simple things like the metric system 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lrose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/lrose/32/62724_2.png) [@lrose](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/lrose)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/2 "2022-07-28T14:24:59Z")
Unfortunately, I don’t think that binary literals are accepted, although hex literals are. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/8/3/83c3d94f982dfdfe71f9f5f2983fe90b4999ffa4.png) I’m not sure that’s more readable. It is less key strokes though. 😆 Also, be careful if you do go the route of `binEnc()`. I would look at `binEnc(1,0,0)` and think 4, but it’s actually computed as 1, so that could add confusion 🤷🏻‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![KathyApplebaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kathyapplebaum/32/7261_2.png) [@KathyApplebaum](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/KathyApplebaum)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/3 "2022-07-28T14:52:47Z")
You could use ```auto case(fromBinary("110") ,fromBinary("000"), '' ,fromBinary("010"), '' ,fromBinary("100"), '' ,fromBinary("110"), '' ,'Invalid' ) ``` ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 3:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/4 "2022-07-28T15:15:06Z")
Blegh. @nminchin , use Hex. ---
**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 8:19am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/5 "2022-07-29T08:19:44Z")
I agree with Phil here. Hex would be my choice too. ---
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 8:56am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/6 "2022-07-29T08:56:07Z")
The whole point is to make it easy to see exactly what inputs you’re looking for though, hex is just a number and won’t identify bits that are on without calculation. It would be the exact same as using decimal ---
**Author:** ![victordcq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f6c823/32.png) [@victordcq](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/victordcq)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 9:46am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/7 "2022-07-29T09:46:36Z")
convert the number to bin with format for leading zeors if you wish ```auto case(numberFormat(toBinary(3),"000") ,"000", '' //0 ,"001", '' //1 ,"010", '' //2 ,"011", '' //3 ,'Invalid' ) ``` ---
**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 10:23am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/8 "2022-07-29T10:23:28Z")
The relationship between base 2 and base 16 for 8 bits bytes being what it is, it’s not exactly the same as decimal. Hex to binary mental conversion is relatively simple, though I agree it’s less ‘graphic’ than having the bits displayed directly. That being said, you could maybe use hex/decimal and put the binary representation in a comment on the same line: ```auto case(binEnc(1, 1, 0), 0x0, "", // 0000 0x1, "", // 0001 0x2, "", // 0010 0x3, "", // 0011 "invalid" ) ``` ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 11:01am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/10 "2022-07-29T11:01:11Z")
Using hex, you only need to know it one nibble at a time (see what I did there?) ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 11:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/11 "2022-07-29T11:53:26Z")
> [@nminchin](#): > > won’t identify bits that are on without calculation Hex perfectly aligns with four bits at a time. A little experience, and yes, you will "see" the bits at a glance. ---
**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/12 "2022-07-29T17:53:32Z")
Hey, I did this one 2 weeks ago ! ---
**Author:** ![Alistair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@Alistair](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Alistair)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 8:42am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/13 "2022-08-02T08:42:53Z")
You’re over thinkin’ it. Keep it simple and put the detail in the comments, then the next guy will know exactly what you’re on about. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 9:33am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/can-i-use-base-2-binary-numbers-in-the-expression-language/62384/14 "2022-08-02T09:33:13Z")
I ended up going with binEnc for all, compare value and cases. Made it super easy to write and compare 🙂 you hex guys are all from another “base”😉