How To Convert Uint8 To Int64 In Python

If you are working with various types of data in Python, you may commonly need to convert between different data types. In this tutorial, we will show you how to convert a uint8 (unsigned 8-bit integer) data type to an int64 (64-bit integer) data type in Python.

This conversion process may be necessary for numerous applications, such as image processing, data analysis, and more. We will go through the necessary steps, so you can easily understand and implement the conversion.

Step 1: Understand uint8 and int64 data types

Before proceeding with the conversion, let’s have a brief overview of uint8 and int64 data types:

  • uint8: uint8 stands for “unsigned 8-bit integer.” It can represent integer values ranging from 0 to 255. The primary advantage of using uint8 is that it requires less memory than other integer types.
  • int64: int64 stands for “64-bit integer.” It can represent integer values in the range of -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. This data type is suitable for working with larger integer values.

Step 2: Import necessary libraries

To perform the conversion, we need to use the NumPy library. NumPy is a popular library in Python used for performing numerical operations and working with arrays. If you don’t have NumPy installed, you can install it using the following pip command:

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pip install numpy

Once NumPy is installed, import it in your Python script:

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import numpy as np

Step 3: Create a uint8 array

In this step, let’s create a uint8 NumPy array that we want to convert to an int64 data type:

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uint8_array = np.array([25, 50, 75, 100, 125], dtype=np.uint8)

For this example, we have created a uint8 NumPy array containing five elements.

Step 4: Convert uint8 array to an int64 array

To perform the conversion, use the astype() function provided by NumPy. This function returns an array of the specified data type, by copying and casting the input data into the specified data type:

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int64_array = uint8_array.astype(np.int64)

Step 5: Verify the conversion result

Now, let’s print both the original uint8 array and the converted int64 array to verify the result:

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print("Original uint8 array: ", uint8_array)
print("Converted int64 array: ", int64_array)

Now, let’s put everything together and see the complete code.

Full Code

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import numpy as np
 
# Step 3: Create a uint8 array
uint8_array = np.array([25, 50, 75, 100, 125], dtype=np.uint8)
 
# Step 4: Convert uint8 array to an int64 array
int64_array = uint8_array.astype(np.int64)
 
# Step 5: Verify the conversion result
print("Original uint8 array: ", uint8_array)
print("Converted int64 array: ", int64_array)

The output of the code should be as follows:

Output

Original uint8 array:  [ 25  50  75 100 125]
Converted int64 array:  [ 25  50  75 100 125]

This shows that the original uint8 array has been successfully converted to an int64 array.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have demonstrated how to convert uint8 data to int64 data in Python using the NumPy library. The process is simple and efficient, and can be easily implemented in your projects when working with various data types.