SID in an array of bytes to string version in VB.NET

This is a program that converts SIDs with 1 – 5 sub authorities from an array of bytes to string format.

In my last post I was looking for a way to convert an array of bytes (SID: 1,2,0,0,0,0,0,5,32,0,0,0,32,2,0,0,) to normal string format (SIDString : S-1-5-32-544).

Most of the code I found on the net requires you to be on the machine that has the SID you want to convert. This program is a standalone program and can convert any SID in an array of bytes to the string format without the need to access the system for the information (only tested on Vista 64 bit at the moment).

I went back to the selfadsi.org site and looked at the conversion code they have listed there.

After I stopped trying to figure out why it worked and just started trying to figure out how to get it to work for me, things started going a little smoother. The code does work, you just have to apply it to what you want.

Below is the finished program: this is how it looks when you first open it.

This next screenshot shows the SID in an array of bytes inserted in the textbox.

It then clears the smaller text boxes with an on change event.

After running it, you get this:

This SID is actually (group account: SQLServer2005MSSQLServerADHelperUser$VISTA-PC).

When you first insert the array of bytes into the textbox, it checks the sub ID count and then verifies the amount of bytes in the array. If the number of bytes does not work out to what it should be, then a message box pops up and lets you know (see the code and it will be clearer).

If you have a trailing comma, then it will strip that out first just to avoid any problems.

Let's say though you have an account that only has 2 Sub Authority’s, then what?

This program handles that too. See below.

This SID here is for the built-in guest account. As you can see, it only has 2 Sub IDs.

When I started building this program, I started by making it just for what I needed it for, to convert a SID with 5 subs. But as I was going through it, I decided why not make it possible to convert from 1 – 5 sub IDs. I’ve actually only seen 1, 2, 4, 5 in my research using the tool I built in the last post.

The Code

Imports System.Text

Public Class Form1

    Private Sub btnConvert_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
            ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnConvert.Click

        Try Dim b1, b2 As String Dim RawSid As String
            RawSid = tbInputString.Text
            Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
            Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
            Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)

            For Each strByte In stary
                SidStrCol.Add(strByte)

            Next

            b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
            b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte
            If b2 = 1 Then
                sCount1()
            ElseIf b2 = 2 Then
                sCount2()
            ElseIf b2 = 3 Then
                sCount3()
            ElseIf b2 = 4 Then
                sCount4()
            ElseIf b2 = 5 Then
                sCount5()
            ElseIf b2 > 5 Then MsgBox("This program only works for " & _ 
               "SID's with 1-5 Sub Authority's" & vbNewLine & _
               "Your Sub ID = " & b2.ToString, _
               MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Sub ID Count To High")
            End If Catch ex As Exception
            If tbInputString.Text = Nothing Then
                MsgBox("Please insert the SID to Convert", _
                   MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Error, Missing SID")
            Else MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, _
                        "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
            End If
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub sCount1()
        Try
            Dim b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9, b10, b11, b12 As String
            Dim RawSid As String
            RawSid = tbInputString.Text
            Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
            Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
            Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)

            For Each strByte In stary
                SidStrCol.Add(strByte)

            Next

            b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
            b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte ' Satrt Auth.
            b3 = SidStrCol(3)         ' SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY  6 bytes
            b4 = SidStrCol(4)         ' 2
            b5 = SidStrCol(5)         ' 3
            b6 = SidStrCol(6)         ' 4
            b7 = SidStrCol(7)         ' 5
            b8 = SidStrCol(8)         ' 6 'Start Sub 1
            b9 = SidStrCol(9)         ' Sub Authority 1           4 bytes
            b10 = SidStrCol(10)       ' 2
            b11 = SidStrCol(11)       ' 3
            b12 = SidStrCol(12)       ' 4
            ' Everything before here is the minimum that
            ' will go in Will need to check the sub id count after this.      

            tbRevision.Text = b1
            tbSubIDCount.Text = b2
            'Text boxes SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY
            tbIA1.Text = b3
            tbIA2.Text = b4
            tbIA3.Text = b5
            tbIA4.Text = b6
            tbIA5.Text = b7
            tbIA6.Text = b8
            'Text boxes sub 1
            tb1ID1.Text = b9
            tb1ID2.Text = b10
            tb1ID3.Text = b11
            tb1ID4.Text = b12

            ' Text boxes Sub 2
            tb2ID1.Text = "x"
            tb2ID2.Text = "x"
            tb2ID3.Text = "x"
            tb2ID4.Text = "x" ' Text boxes Sub 3
            tb3ID1.Text = "x"
            tb3ID2.Text = "x"
            tb3ID3.Text = "x"
            tb3ID4.Text = "x" ' Text boxes Sub 4
            tb4ID1.Text = "x"
            tb4ID2.Text = "x"
            tb4ID3.Text = "x"
            tb4ID4.Text = "x" ' Tex boxes Sub 5
            tb5ID1.Text = "x"
            tb5ID2.Text = "x"
            tb5ID3.Text = "x"
            tb5ID4.Text = "x" 'IA Math
            Dim strIAMath As String
            strIAMath = b3
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b4
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b5
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b6
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b7
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b8

            Dim Sub1Math As String
            Sub1Math = b12                      ' Starts From The Right
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b11
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b10
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b9

            Dim OutputString As String

            OutputString = ("S-" & b1 & "-" & strIAMath & "-" & Sub1Math)

            tbOutputString.Text = OutputString
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub sCount2()
        Try
            Dim b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9, b10, _
                b11, b12, b13, b14, b15, b16 As String
            Dim RawSid As String
            RawSid = tbInputString.Text
            Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
            Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
            Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)

            For Each strByte In stary
                SidStrCol.Add(strByte)

            Next

            b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
            b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte ' Satrt Auth.
            b3 = SidStrCol(3)         ' SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY  6 bytes
            b4 = SidStrCol(4)         ' 2
            b5 = SidStrCol(5)         ' 3
            b6 = SidStrCol(6)         ' 4
            b7 = SidStrCol(7)         ' 5
            b8 = SidStrCol(8)         ' 6 'Start Sub 1
            b9 = SidStrCol(9)         ' Sub Authority 1           4 bytes
            b10 = SidStrCol(10)       ' 2
            b11 = SidStrCol(11)       ' 3
            b12 = SidStrCol(12)       ' 4
            ' Everything before here is the minimum that will
            ' go in Will need to check the sub id count after this.
            b13 = SidStrCol(13)       ' Sub Authority 2           4 bytes
            b14 = SidStrCol(14)       ' 2
            b15 = SidStrCol(15)       ' 3
            b16 = SidStrCol(16)       ' 4 'Sub ID count = 2 All above

            tbRevision.Text = b1
            tbSubIDCount.Text = b2
            'Text boxes SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY
            tbIA1.Text = b3
            tbIA2.Text = b4
            tbIA3.Text = b5
            tbIA4.Text = b6
            tbIA5.Text = b7
            tbIA6.Text = b8
            'Text boxes sub 1
            tb1ID1.Text = b9
            tb1ID2.Text = b10
            tb1ID3.Text = b11
            tb1ID4.Text = b12

            ' Text boxes Sub 2
            tb2ID1.Text = b13
            tb2ID2.Text = b14
            tb2ID3.Text = b15
            tb2ID4.Text = b16
            ' Text boxes Sub 3
            tb3ID1.Text = "x"
            tb3ID2.Text = "x"
            tb3ID3.Text = "x"
            tb3ID4.Text = "x" ' Text boxes Sub 4
            tb4ID1.Text = "x"
            tb4ID2.Text = "x"
            tb4ID3.Text = "x"
            tb4ID4.Text = "x" ' Tex boxes Sub 5
            tb5ID1.Text = "x"
            tb5ID2.Text = "x"
            tb5ID3.Text = "x"
            tb5ID4.Text = "x" 'IA Math
            Dim strIAMath As String
            strIAMath = b3
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b4
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b5
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b6
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b7
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b8

            Dim Sub1Math As String
            Sub1Math = b12                      ' Starts From The Right
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b11
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b10
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b9

            Dim Sub2Math As String
            Sub2Math = b16                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b15
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b14
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b13

            Dim OutputString As String

            OutputString = ("S-" & b1 & "-" & strIAMath & "-" & Sub1Math & "-" & Sub2Math)

            tbOutputString.Text = OutputString
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub sCount3()
        Try Dim b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9, b10, b11, b12, _
            b13, b14, b15, b16, b17, b18, b19, b20 As String
        Dim RawSid As String
        RawSid = tbInputString.Text
        Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
        Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
        Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)

        For Each strByte In stary
            SidStrCol.Add(strByte)

        Next

            b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
            b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte ' Satrt Auth.
            b3 = SidStrCol(3)         ' SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY  6 bytes
            b4 = SidStrCol(4)         ' 2
            b5 = SidStrCol(5)         ' 3
            b6 = SidStrCol(6)         ' 4
            b7 = SidStrCol(7)         ' 5
            b8 = SidStrCol(8)         ' 6 'Start Sub 1
            b9 = SidStrCol(9)         ' Sub Authority 1           4 bytes
            b10 = SidStrCol(10)       ' 2
            b11 = SidStrCol(11)       ' 3
            b12 = SidStrCol(12)       ' 4
            ' Everything before here is the minimum
            ' that will go in Will need to check the sub id count after this.
            b13 = SidStrCol(13)       ' Sub Authority 2           4 bytes
            b14 = SidStrCol(14)       ' 2
            b15 = SidStrCol(15)       ' 3
            b16 = SidStrCol(16)       ' 4 'Sub ID count = 2 All above
            b17 = SidStrCol(17)       ' Sub Authority 3           4 bytes
            b18 = SidStrCol(18)       ' 2
            b19 = SidStrCol(19)       ' 3
            b20 = SidStrCol(20)       ' 4 ' Sub ID Count = 3 All Above

            tbRevision.Text = b1
            tbSubIDCount.Text = b2
            'Text boxes SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY
            tbIA1.Text = b3
            tbIA2.Text = b4
            tbIA3.Text = b5
            tbIA4.Text = b6
            tbIA5.Text = b7
            tbIA6.Text = b8
            'Text boxes sub 1
            tb1ID1.Text = b9
            tb1ID2.Text = b10
            tb1ID3.Text = b11
            tb1ID4.Text = b12

            ' Text boxes Sub 2
            tb2ID1.Text = b13
            tb2ID2.Text = b14
            tb2ID3.Text = b15
            tb2ID4.Text = b16
            ' Text boxes Sub 3
            tb3ID1.Text = b17
            tb3ID2.Text = b18
            tb3ID3.Text = b19
            tb3ID4.Text = b20
            ' Text boxes Sub 4
            tb4ID1.Text = "x"
            tb4ID2.Text = "x"
            tb4ID3.Text = "x"
            tb4ID4.Text = "x" ' Tex boxes Sub 5
            tb5ID1.Text = "x"
            tb5ID2.Text = "x"
            tb5ID3.Text = "x"
            tb5ID4.Text = "x" 'IA Math Dim strIAMath As String
            strIAMath = b3
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b4
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b5
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b6
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b7
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b8

            Dim Sub1Math As String
            Sub1Math = b12                      ' Starts From The Right
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b11
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b10
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b9

            Dim Sub2Math As String
            Sub2Math = b16                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b15
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b14
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b13

            Dim Sub3Math As String
            Sub3Math = b20                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b19
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b18
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b17

            Dim OutputString As String

            OutputString = ("S-" & b1 & "-" & strIAMath & _
              "-" & Sub1Math & "-" & Sub2Math & "-" & Sub3Math)

            tbOutputString.Text = OutputString
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub sCount4()
        Try
            Dim b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9, b10, b11, b12, _
              b13, b14, b15, b16, b17, b18, b19, b20, b21, b22, b23, b24 As String
            Dim RawSid As String
            RawSid = tbInputString.Text
            Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
            Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
            Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)

            For Each strByte In stary
                SidStrCol.Add(strByte)

            Next

            b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
            b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte ' Satrt Auth.
            b3 = SidStrCol(3)         ' SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY  6 bytes
            b4 = SidStrCol(4)         ' 2
            b5 = SidStrCol(5)         ' 3
            b6 = SidStrCol(6)         ' 4
            b7 = SidStrCol(7)         ' 5
            b8 = SidStrCol(8)         ' 6 'Start Sub 1
            b9 = SidStrCol(9)         ' Sub Authority 1           4 bytes
            b10 = SidStrCol(10)       ' 2
            b11 = SidStrCol(11)       ' 3
            b12 = SidStrCol(12)       ' 4
            ' Everything before here is the minimum that will
            ' go in Will need to check the sub id count after this.
            b13 = SidStrCol(13)       ' Sub Authority 2           4 bytes
            b14 = SidStrCol(14)       ' 2
            b15 = SidStrCol(15)       ' 3
            b16 = SidStrCol(16)       ' 4 'Sub ID count = 2 All above
            b17 = SidStrCol(17)       ' Sub Authority 3           4 bytes
            b18 = SidStrCol(18)       ' 2
            b19 = SidStrCol(19)       ' 3
            b20 = SidStrCol(20)       ' 4 ' Sub ID Count = 3 All Above
            b21 = SidStrCol(21)       ' Sub Authority 4           4 bytes
            b22 = SidStrCol(22)       ' 2
            b23 = SidStrCol(23)       ' 3
            b24 = SidStrCol(24)       ' 4 ' Sub ID Count = 4 All Above          

            tbRevision.Text = b1
            tbSubIDCount.Text = b2
            'Text boxes SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY
            tbIA1.Text = b3
            tbIA2.Text = b4
            tbIA3.Text = b5
            tbIA4.Text = b6
            tbIA5.Text = b7
            tbIA6.Text = b8
            'Text boxes sub 1
            tb1ID1.Text = b9
            tb1ID2.Text = b10
            tb1ID3.Text = b11
            tb1ID4.Text = b12

            ' Text boxes Sub 2
            tb2ID1.Text = b13
            tb2ID2.Text = b14
            tb2ID3.Text = b15
            tb2ID4.Text = b16
            ' Text boxes Sub 3
            tb3ID1.Text = b17
            tb3ID2.Text = b18
            tb3ID3.Text = b19
            tb3ID4.Text = b20
            ' Text boxes Sub 4
            tb4ID1.Text = b21
            tb4ID2.Text = b22
            tb4ID3.Text = b23
            tb4ID4.Text = b24
            ' Tex boxes Sub 5
            tb5ID1.Text = "x"
            tb5ID2.Text = "x"
            tb5ID3.Text = "x"
            tb5ID4.Text = "x" 'IA Math Dim strIAMath As String
            strIAMath = b3
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b4
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b5
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b6
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b7
            strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b8

            Dim Sub1Math As String
            Sub1Math = b12                      ' Starts From The Right
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b11
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b10
            Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b9

            Dim Sub2Math As String
            Sub2Math = b16                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b15
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b14
            Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b13

            Dim Sub3Math As String
            Sub3Math = b20                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b19
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b18
            Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b17

            Dim Sub4Math As String
            Sub4Math = b24                     ' Starts From The Right
            Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b23
            Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b22
            Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b21

            Dim OutputString As String

            OutputString = ("S-" & b1 & "-" & strIAMath & "-" & _
               Sub1Math & "-" & Sub2Math & "-" & Sub3Math & "-" & Sub4Math)

            tbOutputString.Text = OutputString
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub sCount5()
        Try
          Dim b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9, b10, b11, b12, b13, _
            b14, b15, b16, b17, b18, b19, b20, b21, b22, b23, _
            b24, b25, b26, b27, b28 As String
	        Dim RawSid As String
	        RawSid = tbInputString.Text
	        Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
	        Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
	        Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)
	
	        For Each strByte In stary
	            SidStrCol.Add(strByte)
	        Next

	        b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
	        b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte ' Satrt Auth.
	        b3 = SidStrCol(3)         ' SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY  6 bytes
	        b4 = SidStrCol(4)         ' 2
	        b5 = SidStrCol(5)         ' 3
	        b6 = SidStrCol(6)         ' 4
	        b7 = SidStrCol(7)         ' 5
	        b8 = SidStrCol(8)         ' 6 'Start Sub 1
	        b9 = SidStrCol(9)         ' Sub Authority 1           4 bytes
	        b10 = SidStrCol(10)       ' 2
	        b11 = SidStrCol(11)       ' 3
	        b12 = SidStrCol(12)       ' 4
	        ' Everything before here is the minimum that will go
	        ' in Will need to check the sub id count after this.
	        b13 = SidStrCol(13)       ' Sub Authority 2           4 bytes
	        b14 = SidStrCol(14)       ' 2
	        b15 = SidStrCol(15)       ' 3
	        b16 = SidStrCol(16)       ' 4 'Sub ID count = 2 All above
	        b17 = SidStrCol(17)       ' Sub Authority 3           4 bytes
	        b18 = SidStrCol(18)       ' 2
	        b19 = SidStrCol(19)       ' 3
	        b20 = SidStrCol(20)       ' 4 ' Sub ID Count = 3 All Above
	        b21 = SidStrCol(21)       ' Sub Authority 4           4 bytes
	        b22 = SidStrCol(22)       ' 2
	        b23 = SidStrCol(23)       ' 3
	        b24 = SidStrCol(24)       ' 4 ' Sub ID Count = 4 All Above
	        b25 = SidStrCol(25)       ' Sub Authority 5 (RID)     4 bytes
	        b26 = SidStrCol(26)       ' 2
	        b27 = SidStrCol(27)       ' 3
	        b28 = SidStrCol(28)       ' 4   (Last byte in the array / Collection)
	        'Sub ID Count = 5 then All 28 Bytes will be used.
	        tbRevision.Text = b1
	        tbSubIDCount.Text = b2
	        'Text boxes SID_IDENTIFIER_AUTHORITY
	        tbIA1.Text = b3
	        tbIA2.Text = b4
	        tbIA3.Text = b5
	        tbIA4.Text = b6
	        tbIA5.Text = b7
	        tbIA6.Text = b8
	        'Text boxes sub 1
	        tb1ID1.Text = b9
	        tb1ID2.Text = b10
	        tb1ID3.Text = b11
	        tb1ID4.Text = b12

	        ' Text boxes Sub 2
	        tb2ID1.Text = b13
	        tb2ID2.Text = b14
	        tb2ID3.Text = b15
	        tb2ID4.Text = b16
	        ' Text boxes Sub 3
	        tb3ID1.Text = b17
	        tb3ID2.Text = b18
	        tb3ID3.Text = b19
	        tb3ID4.Text = b20
	        ' Text boxes Sub 4
	        tb4ID1.Text = b21
	        tb4ID2.Text = b22
	        tb4ID3.Text = b23
	        tb4ID4.Text = b24
	        ' Tex boxes Sub 5
	        tb5ID1.Text = b25
	        tb5ID2.Text = b26
	        tb5ID3.Text = b27
	        tb5ID4.Text = b28
	        'IA Math Dim strIAMath As String
	        strIAMath = b3
	        strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b4
	        strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b5
	        strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b6
	        strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b7
	        strIAMath = strIAMath * 256 + b8

	        Dim Sub1Math As String
	        Sub1Math = b12                      ' Starts From The Right
	        Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b11
	        Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b10
	        Sub1Math = (Sub1Math * 256) + b9
	
	        Dim Sub2Math As String
	        Sub2Math = b16                     ' Starts From The Right
	        Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b15
	        Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b14
	        Sub2Math = (Sub2Math * 256) + b13
	
	        Dim Sub3Math As String
	        Sub3Math = b20                     ' Starts From The Right
	        Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b19
	        Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b18
	        Sub3Math = Sub3Math * 256 + b17
	
	        Dim Sub4Math As String
	        Sub4Math = b24                     ' Starts From The Right
	        Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b23
	        Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b22
	        Sub4Math = Sub4Math * 256 + b21
	
	        Dim sub5Math As String
	        sub5Math = b28                      ' Starts From The Right
	        sub5Math = sub5Math * 256 + b27
	        sub5Math = sub5Math * 256 + b26
	        sub5Math = sub5Math * 256 + b25
	
	        Dim OutputString As String

	        OutputString = ("S-" & b1 & "-" & strIAMath & "-" & _
	           Sub1Math & "-" & Sub2Math & "-" & Sub3Math & "-" & _
	           Sub4Math & "-" & sub5Math)
	
	        tbOutputString.Text = OutputString
	    Catch ex As Exception
	        MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Some Kind Of Error Happened")
	    End Try
	End Sub
	Private Sub lblAbout_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
	            ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles lblAbout.Click
	    AboutBox1.Show()
    End Sub
	Private Sub lnklblSelfAdsiorg_LinkClicked(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
	        ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.LinkLabelLinkClickedEventArgs) _
	        Handles lnklblSelfAdsiorg.LinkClicked
	    Process.Start("Iexplore", _
	      "http://www.selfadsi.org/deep-inside/microsoft-sid-attributes.htm")
	End Sub
	Private Sub tbInputString_TextChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
	        ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbInputString.TextChanged
	    Try
	        tbOutputString.Clear()
	        tbRevision.Clear()
	        tbSubIDCount.Clear()

	        tbIA1.Clear()
	        tbIA2.Clear()
	        tbIA3.Clear()
	        tbIA4.Clear()
	        tbIA5.Clear()
	        tbIA6.Clear()
	        'Text boxes sub 1            tb1ID1.Clear()
	        tb1ID2.Clear()
	        tb1ID3.Clear()
	        tb1ID4.Clear()
	
	        ' Text boxes Sub 2            tb2ID1.Clear()
	        tb2ID2.Clear()
	        tb2ID3.Clear()
	        tb2ID4.Clear()
	        ' Text boxes Sub 3            tb3ID1.Clear()
	        tb3ID2.Clear()
	        tb3ID3.Clear()
	        tb3ID4.Clear()
	        ' Text boxes Sub 4            tb4ID1.Clear()
	        tb4ID2.Clear()
	        tb4ID3.Clear()
	        tb4ID4.Clear()
	        ' Tex boxes Sub 5            tb5ID1.Clear()
	        tb5ID2.Clear()
	        tb5ID3.Clear()
	        tb5ID4.Clear()

		    Dim b1, b2 As String Dim RawSid As String
		    RawSid = tbInputString.Text
		    Dim SidStrCol As New Collection
		    Dim TrmdRawSID As String = RawSid.TrimEnd(",")
		    Dim stary() As String = Split(TrmdRawSID, ",", -1)
	
		    For Each strByte In stary
		        SidStrCol.Add(strByte)
	    	Next Dim colcnt As Integer
		    colcnt = SidStrCol.Count
		    b1 = SidStrCol(1)         ' Revision Number           1 byte
		    b2 = SidStrCol(2)         ' Sub ID Count              1 byte
		    lblArrayCount.Text = "SID Length = " & colcnt.ToString
		    'Below Checks the the proper amount of bytes
		    'are present for the given SID Sub Count
		    If b2 = 1 And colcnt <> 12 Then
		        MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & _
		           vbNewLine & "Sub Id Count Should be 1 and Byte count should be 12", _
		           MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Input Verification Error 1")
	
		    ElseIf b2 = 2 And colcnt <> 16 Then
		        MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & vbNewLine & _
		           "Sub Id Count Should be 2 and Byte count should be 16", _
		           MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Input Verification Error 2")
	
		    ElseIf b2 = 3 And colcnt <> 20 Then
		      MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & _
		         vbNewLine & "Sub Id Count Should be 3 and Byte count should be 20", _
		         MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Input Verification Error 3")
	
		    ElseIf b2 = 4 And colcnt <> 24 Then
		        MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & _
		           vbNewLine & "Sub Id Count Should be 4 and Byte count should be 24", _
		           MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Input Verification Error 4")
	
		    ElseIf b2 = 5 And colcnt <> 28 Then
		        MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & _
		          vbNewLine & "Sub Id Count Should be 5 and Byte count should be 28", _
		          MsgBoxStyle.Information, "Input Verification Error 5")
	
		    ElseIf colcnt > 28 Then
		        MsgBox("Please Double Check your Input String Length" & _
		          vbNewLine & "Sub Id Count Should be 5 or less " & _ 
		          "and Byte count should be 28 or less", _
		          MsgBoxStyle.Information, _
		          "Input Verification Error To Many Bytes")
		    End If
		Catch ex As Exception
		    MsgBox(ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Information, _
		       "Some Error happened while Checking SID Length")
		End Try
	End Sub
End Class

In the first part of the button click, if there is a comma on the end, then it gets trimmed right from the start. Then we split the trimmed result and add it to a collection, it was actually easier than an array. Also, an article said there may be a performance gain using the collection rather than the array. Once we have the collection we set the b1, and b2 as string, then make b1 = to the first byte in the collection and make b2 = to the second byte in the collection. Then we check what b2 actually equals. If it equals 1-5 then we move through the ElseIf statement to get to the “SUB” that is equal to the b2 byte. Anything else than 1-5 should be handled with the text box validation. I like using an ElseIf others may like the select case statement.

When I started this project, I just had code to handle all 5 sub authority ID’s in my button click event, then moved it to sub 5 later. I had to start working backwards from all 5 to 1. Basically what I did was to create 5 “Subs” to handle just the code for that Sub Number 1-5. Then working backwards stripped out the code that didn’t need to be there to handle just that version and to put x’s into the unused boxes on the form. I don’t know if there is a fancy way to do this  with less code but this is pretty straight forward and easy to debug as is. Viewing the code should explain it better than I can write it out, I tried to comment it as much as possible.

As I build an application I try to think of every way a user can break it and handle any possible errors. I’m pretty sure this one has that covered. Also as I’m building I like to verify the information I’m pulling out, some times I leave the the boxes in place and make them a part of the finished program as I did here. (The small Boxes that each byte goes into)

Download

This Program will be available for download from my SkyDrive. Since they don’t do the Direct Download Link anymore you have to go to the folder and select the file or files you want. Everything is in zip format. File name is (ConvertSIDByteArayToSIDStirng.zip).

Minimum requirements for all of my programs, that I know of, is just .NET Framework 3.5 (and lower).

You can also view information on the other files in the SkyDrive folder.

As the usual way thing goes, these program are free and as is with no warranty. I just ask that anyone download directly from my site. I do update them from time to time. Also if anyone finds a bug please let me know at pcsxcetra@consolidated.net so I can fix it and post the updated version.

Hope this was informative and the tool(s) useful, in a good way.