I needed to read the value of single bits out of a char variable. This is how I've done it - please doublecheck if this is correct (and for sure not the best/fastest way of doing it).


1) Create first of all a structure of bits

struct BITS
{
    bool b1:1;
    bool b2:1;
    bool b3:1;
    bool b4:1;
    bool b5:1;
    bool b6:1;
    bool b7:1;
    bool b8:1;
};

2) Now declare the variables in the function you're using:

void myfunction()
{
    char cTarget;
    BITS b;

3) Now assign a value to char and fill the BITS structure:

    cout << "The full byte has a meaning of...: " << cByteRead << endl;
    cout << "...which is in int:" << (int)cByteRead << endl;
    b = *(BITS*)(&cByteRead);

4) And finally display the values of the bits:

    cout << b.b1 << endl;
    cout << b.b2 << endl;
    cout << b.b3 << endl;
    cout << b.b4 << endl;
    cout << b.b5 << endl;
    cout << b.b6 << endl;
    cout << b.b7 << endl;
    cout << b.b8 << endl;

Everything altogether:

struct BITS
{
        bool b1 :1;
        bool b2 :1;
        bool b3 :1;
        bool b4 :1;
        bool b5 :1;
        bool b6 :1;
        bool b7 :1;
        bool b8 :1;
};
 
void myfunction()
{
    char cByteRead;
    BITS b;
 
    cByteRead = 'a';
 
    cout << "The full byte has a meaning of...: " << cByteRead << endl;
    cout << "...which is in int:" << (int)cByteRead << endl;
 
    b = *(BITS*)(&cByteRead);
    cout << b.b1 << endl;
    cout << b.b2 << endl;
    cout << b.b3 << endl;
    cout << b.b4 << endl;
    cout << b.b5 << endl;
    cout << b.b6 << endl;
    cout << b.b7 << endl;
    cout << b.b8 << endl;
}

The mapping of the integer value of a char variable is:

Bit8    Bit7    Bit6    Bit5    Bit4    Bit3    Bit2    Bit1        Int
0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    |    0
0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    |    1
0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0    |    2
0    0    0    0    0    0    1    1    |    3
0    0    0    0    0    1    0    0    |    4
0    0    0    0    0    1    0    1    |    5
0    0    0    0    0    1    1    0    |    6
0    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    |    7
0    0    0    0    1    0    0    0    |    8
0    0    0    0    1    0    0    1    |    9
0    0    0    0    1    0    1    0    |    10
0    0    0    0    1    0    1    1    |    11
0    0    0    0    1    1    0    0    |    12
0    0    0    0    1    1    0    1    |    13
0    0    0    0    1    1    1    0    |    14
0    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    |    15
0    0    0    1    0    0    0    0    |    16
0    0    0    1    0    0    0    1    |    17
0    0    0    1    0    0    1    0    |    18
0    0    0    1    0    0    1    1    |    19
0    0    0    1    0    1    0    0    |    20
0    0    0    1    0    1    0    1    |    21
0    0    0    1    0    1    1    0    |    22
0    0    0    1    0    1    1    1    |    23
0    0    0    1    1    0    0    0    |    24
0    0    0    1    1    0    0    1    |    25
0    0    0    1    1    0    1    0    |    26
0    0    0    1    1    0    1    1    |    27
0    0    0    1    1    1    0    0    |    28
0    0    0    1    1    1    0    1    |    29
0    0    0    1    1    1    1    0    |    30
0    0    0    1    1    1    1    1    |    31
0    0    1    0    0    0    0    0    |    32
0    0    1    0    0    0    0    1    |    33
0    0    1    0    0    0    1    0    |    34
0    0    1    0    0    0    1    1    |    35
0    0    1    0    0    1    0    0    |    36
0    0    1    0    0    1    0    1    |    37
0    0    1    0    0    1    1    0    |    38
0    0    1    0    0    1    1    1    |    39
0    0    1    0    1    0    0    0    |    40
0    0    1    0    1    0    0    1    |    41
0    0    1    0    1    0    1    0    |    42
0    0    1    0    1    0    1    1    |    43
0    0    1    0    1    1    0    0    |    44
0    0    1    0    1    1    0    1    |    45
0    0    1    0    1    1    1    0    |    46
0    0    1    0    1    1    1    1    |    47
0    0    1    1    0    0    0    0    |    48
0    0    1    1    0    0    0    1    |    49
0    0    1    1    0    0    1    0    |    50
0    0    1    1    0    0    1    1    |    51
0    0    1    1    0    1    0    0    |    52
0    0    1    1    0    1    0    1    |    53
0    0    1    1    0    1    1    0    |    54
0    0    1    1    0    1    1    1    |    55
0    0    1    1    1    0    0    0    |    56
0    0    1    1    1    0    0    1    |    57
0    0    1    1    1    0    1    0    |    58
0    0    1    1    1    0    1    1    |    59
0    0    1    1    1    1    0    0    |    60
0    0    1    1    1    1    0    1    |    61
0    0    1    1    1    1    1    0    |    62
0    0    1    1    1    1    1    1    |    63
0    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    |    64
0    1    0    0    0    0    0    1    |    65
0    1    0    0    0    0    1    0    |    66
0    1    0    0    0    0    1    1    |    67
0    1    0    0    0    1    0    0    |    68
0    1    0    0    0    1    0    1    |    69
0    1    0    0    0    1    1    0    |    70
0    1    0    0    0    1    1    1    |    71
0    1    0    0    1    0    0    0    |    72
0    1    0    0    1    0    0    1    |    73
0    1    0    0    1    0    1    0    |    74
0    1    0    0    1    0    1    1    |    75
0    1    0    0    1    1    0    0    |    76
0    1    0    0    1    1    0    1    |    77
0    1    0    0    1    1    1    0    |    78
0    1    0    0    1    1    1    1    |    79
0    1    0    1    0    0    0    0    |    80
0    1    0    1    0    0    0    1    |    81
0    1    0    1    0    0    1    0    |    82
0    1    0    1    0    0    1    1    |    83
0    1    0    1    0    1    0    0    |    84
0    1    0    1    0    1    0    1    |    85
0    1    0    1    0    1    1    0    |    86
0    1    0    1    0    1    1    1    |    87
0    1    0    1    1    0    0    0    |    88
0    1    0    1    1    0    0    1    |    89
0    1    0    1    1    0    1    0    |    90
0    1    0    1    1    0    1    1    |    91
0    1    0    1    1    1    0    0    |    92
0    1    0    1    1    1    0    1    |    93
0    1    0    1    1    1    1    0    |    94
0    1    0    1    1    1    1    1    |    95
0    1    1    0    0    0    0    0    |    96
0    1    1    0    0    0    0    1    |    97
0    1    1    0    0    0    1    0    |    98
0    1    1    0    0    0    1    1    |    99
0    1    1    0    0    1    0    0    |    100
0    1    1    0    0    1    0    1    |    101
0    1    1    0    0    1    1    0    |    102
0    1    1    0    0    1    1    1    |    103
0    1    1    0    1    0    0    0    |    104
0    1    1    0    1    0    0    1    |    105
0    1    1    0    1    0    1    0    |    106
0    1    1    0    1    0    1    1    |    107
0    1    1    0    1    1    0    0    |    108
0    1    1    0    1    1    0    1    |    109
0    1    1    0    1    1    1    0    |    110
0    1    1    0    1    1    1    1    |    111
0    1    1    1    0    0    0    0    |    112
0    1    1    1    0    0    0    1    |    113
0    1    1    1    0    0    1    0    |    114
0    1    1    1    0    0    1    1    |    115
0    1    1    1    0    1    0    0    |    116
0    1    1    1    0    1    0    1    |    117
0    1    1    1    0    1    1    0    |    118
0    1    1    1    0    1    1    1    |    119
0    1    1    1    1    0    0    0    |    120
0    1    1    1    1    0    0    1    |    121
0    1    1    1    1    0    1    0    |    122
0    1    1    1    1    0    1    1    |    123
0    1    1    1    1    1    0    0    |    124
0    1    1    1    1    1    0    1    |    125
0    1    1    1    1    1    1    0    |    126
0    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    |    127
1    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    |    128
1    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    |    129
1    0    0    0    0    0    1    0    |    130
1    0    0    0    0    0    1    1    |    131
1    0    0    0    0    1    0    0    |    132
1    0    0    0    0    1    0    1    |    133
1    0    0    0    0    1    1    0    |    134
1    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    |    135
1    0    0    0    1    0    0    0    |    136
1    0    0    0    1    0    0    1    |    137
1    0    0    0    1    0    1    0    |    138
1    0    0    0    1    0    1    1    |    139
1    0    0    0    1    1    0    0    |    140
1    0    0    0    1    1    0    1    |    141
1    0    0    0    1    1    1    0    |    142
1    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    |    143
1    0    0    1    0    0    0    0    |    144
1    0    0    1    0    0    0    1    |    145
1    0    0    1    0    0    1    0    |    146
1    0    0    1    0    0    1    1    |    147
1    0    0    1    0    1    0    0    |    148
1    0    0    1    0    1    0    1    |    149
1    0    0    1    0    1    1    0    |    150
1    0    0    1    0    1    1    1    |    151
1    0    0    1    1    0    0    0    |    152
1    0    0    1    1    0    0    1    |    153
1    0    0    1    1    0    1    0    |    154
1    0    0    1    1    0    1    1    |    155
1    0    0    1    1    1    0    0    |    156
1    0    0    1    1    1    0    1    |    157
1    0    0    1    1    1    1    0    |    158
1    0    0    1    1    1    1    1    |    159
1    0    1    0    0    0    0    0    |    160
1    0    1    0    0    0    0    1    |    161
1    0    1    0    0    0    1    0    |    162
1    0    1    0    0    0    1    1    |    163
1    0    1    0    0    1    0    0    |    164
1    0    1    0    0    1    0    1    |    165
1    0    1    0    0    1    1    0    |    166
1    0    1    0    0    1    1    1    |    167
1    0    1    0    1    0    0    0    |    168
1    0    1    0    1    0    0    1    |    169
1    0    1    0    1    0    1    0    |    170
1    0    1    0    1    0    1    1    |    171
1    0    1    0    1    1    0    0    |    172
1    0    1    0    1    1    0    1    |    173
1    0    1    0    1    1    1    0    |    174
1    0    1    0    1    1    1    1    |    175
1    0    1    1    0    0    0    0    |    176
1    0    1    1    0    0    0    1    |    177
1    0    1    1    0    0    1    0    |    178
1    0    1    1    0    0    1    1    |    179
1    0    1    1    0    1    0    0    |    180
1    0    1    1    0    1    0    1    |    181
1    0    1    1    0    1    1    0    |    182
1    0    1    1    0    1    1    1    |    183
1    0    1    1    1    0    0    0    |    184
1    0    1    1    1    0    0    1    |    185
1    0    1    1    1    0    1    0    |    186
1    0    1    1    1    0    1    1    |    187
1    0    1    1    1    1    0    0    |    188
1    0    1    1    1    1    0    1    |    189
1    0    1    1    1    1    1    0    |    190
1    0    1    1    1    1    1    1    |    191
1    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    |    192
1    1    0    0    0    0    0    1    |    193
1    1    0    0    0    0    1    0    |    194
1    1    0    0    0    0    1    1    |    195
1    1    0    0    0    1    0    0    |    196
1    1    0    0    0    1    0    1    |    197
1    1    0    0    0    1    1    0    |    198
1    1    0    0    0    1    1    1    |    199
1    1    0    0    1    0    0    0    |    200
1    1    0    0    1    0    0    1    |    201
1    1    0    0    1    0    1    0    |    202
1    1    0    0    1    0    1    1    |    203
1    1    0    0    1    1    0    0    |    204
1    1    0    0    1    1    0    1    |    205
1    1    0    0    1    1    1    0    |    206
1    1    0    0    1    1    1    1    |    207
1    1    0    1    0    0    0    0    |    208
1    1    0    1    0    0    0    1    |    209
1    1    0    1    0    0    1    0    |    210
1    1    0    1    0    0    1    1    |    211
1    1    0    1    0    1    0    0    |    212
1    1    0    1    0    1    0    1    |    213
1    1    0    1    0    1    1    0    |    214
1    1    0    1    0    1    1    1    |    215
1    1    0    1    1    0    0    0    |    216
1    1    0    1    1    0    0    1    |    217
1    1    0    1    1    0    1    0    |    218
1    1    0    1    1    0    1    1    |    219
1    1    0    1    1    1    0    0    |    220
1    1    0    1    1    1    0    1    |    221
1    1    0    1    1    1    1    0    |    222
1    1    0    1    1    1    1    1    |    223
1    1    1    0    0    0    0    0    |    224
1    1    1    0    0    0    0    1    |    225
1    1    1    0    0    0    1    0    |    226
1    1    1    0    0    0    1    1    |    227
1    1    1    0    0    1    0    0    |    228
1    1    1    0    0    1    0    1    |    229
1    1    1    0    0    1    1    0    |    230
1    1    1    0    0    1    1    1    |    231
1    1    1    0    1    0    0    0    |    232
1    1    1    0    1    0    0    1    |    233
1    1    1    0    1    0    1    0    |    234
1    1    1    0    1    0    1    1    |    235
1    1    1    0    1    1    0    0    |    236
1    1    1    0    1    1    0    1    |    237
1    1    1    0    1    1    1    0    |    238
1    1    1    0    1    1    1    1    |    239
1    1    1    1    0    0    0    0    |    240
1    1    1    1    0    0    0    1    |    241
1    1    1    1    0    0    1    0    |    242
1    1    1    1    0    0    1    1    |    243
1    1    1    1    0    1    0    0    |    244
1    1    1    1    0    1    0    1    |    245
1    1    1    1    0    1    1    0    |    246
1    1    1    1    0    1    1    1    |    247
1    1    1    1    1    0    0    0    |    248
1    1    1    1    1    0    0    1    |    249
1    1    1    1    1    0    1    0    |    250
1    1    1    1    1    0    1    1    |    251
1    1    1    1    1    1    0    0    |    252
1    1    1    1    1    1    0    1    |    253
1    1    1    1    1    1    1    0    |    254
1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    |    255