# ToBytes | **Name** | ***ToBytes*** | | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Syntax | ToBytes (String str, String codePage) | | Purpose | To return a byte array in the given encoding. | | Description | Returns and array of bytes. Good as an intermediate structure to be used with other functions. | | Return Type | Byte | | Parameters |

str \[System.String] – The string to convert

codepage \[System.String] – The code page that string is currently encoded in. Default is UTF-8.

| ![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2Ff6GchnJ9pysuf59Dvctw%2F0.png?alt=media) **Example** In this example, we are passing the required parameters to the function transformation object using a *Variables* object. Where, *str =* Hello World *codepage* = UTF-8 (Default) ![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FUsI740yoOd5TRmAt0Aa6%2F1.png?alt=media) Right-click on the function transformation object and select *Preview Output.* You can see that Astera has returned the byte value of the specified UTF-8 string. ![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2Ffw43voWdNolVzJuXyRPG%2F2.png?alt=media)