{{DISPLAYTITLE:_BYTE}}
A [[_BYTE]] variable can hold signed variable values from -128 to 127 (one byte or 8 [[_BIT]]s). [[_UNSIGNED|Unsigned]] from 0 to 255.


{{PageSyntax}}
: [[DIM]] {{Parameter|byte}} [[AS]] [[[_UNSIGNED]]] [[_BYTE]]


{{PageDescription}}
* Signed _BYTE values can range from -128 to 127.
* [[_UNSIGNED]] _BYTEs can hold values from 0 to 255. [[_UNSIGNED]] expands the range of positive values.
* Can be defined in a '''QB64''' [[_DEFINE]] statement using a starting letter range of variable names.
* Also can be used in a subroutine parameter [[AS]] _BYTE variable definitions.
* Define a byte using the suffix %% after the variable name: {{Parameter|variable%%}} = -54
* Define an unsigned byte by adding the suffix ~%% after the variable name: variable~%% = 54
* '''When a variable has not been assigned or has no type suffix, the value defaults to [[SINGLE]].'''


<center>'''[[_BIT|BITS]]'''</center>
* The '''MSB''' is the most significant(largest) bit value and '''LSB''' is the least significant bit of a binary or register memory address value. The order in which the bits are read determines the binary or decimal byte value. There are two common ways to read a byte:

:* '''"Big-endian"''': MSB is the first bit encountered, decreasing to the LSB as the last bit by position, memory address or time.
:* '''"Little-endian"''': LSB is the first bit encountered, increasing to the MSB as the last bit by position, memory address or time.
{{WhiteStart}}
         '''Offset or Position:    0    1   2   3   4   5   6   7      Example: 11110000'''
                              ----------------------------------             --------
    '''Big-Endian Bit On Value:'''   128  64  32  16   8   4   2   1                 240
 '''Little-Endian Bit On Value:'''    1    2   4   8  16  32  64  128                 15
{{WhiteEnd}}
::The big-endian method compares exponents of 2 <sup>7</sup> down to 2 <sup>0</sup> while the little-endian method does the opposite. 


<center>'''[[_BYTE|BYTES]]'''</center>
* [[INTEGER]] values consist of 2 bytes called the '''HI''' and '''LO''' bytes. Anytime that the number of binary digits is a multiple of 16 (2bytes, 4 bytes, etc.) and the HI byte's MSB is on(1), the value returned will be negative. Even with [[SINGLE]] or [[DOUBLE]] values! 
{{WhiteStart}}                                 '''16 BIT INTEGER OR REGISTER'''
              '''AH (High Byte Bits)                         AL (Low Byte Bits)'''
   BIT:    15    14   13   12   11   10   9   8  |   7   6    5   4    3    2   1    0
          ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
   HEX:   8000  4000 2000 1000  800 400  200 100 |  80   40  20   10   8    4   2    1
                                                 |
   DEC: -32768 16384 8192 4096 2048 1024 512 256 | 128   64  32   16   8    4   2    1
{{WhiteEnd}}
::The HI byte's '''MSB''' is often called the '''sign''' bit! When all 16 of the integer binary bits are on, the decimal return is -1.  



{{PageExamples}}
:How negative assignments affect the _UNSIGNED value returned by a byte (8 bits).

{{CodeStart}}
{{Cl|DIM}} unsig {{Cl|AS}} {{Cl|_UNSIGNED}} {{Cl|_BYTE}}
{{Cl|DIM}} sig {{Cl|AS}} {{Cl|_BYTE}}

{{Cl|CLS}}
unsig = 1
sig = 1
{{Cl|PRINT}} "00000001 = unsigned & signed are both" + {{Cl|STR$}}(unsig {{Cl|AND}} sig)

unsig = 127
sig = 127
{{Cl|PRINT}} "&B01111111 = unsigned & signed are both" + {{Cl|STR$}}(unsig {{Cl|AND}} sig)

unsig = 255
sig = 255
{{Cl|PRINT}} "&B11111111 = unsigned is" + {{Cl|STR$}}(unsig) + " but signed is " + {{Cl|STR$}}(sig)

unsig = 254
sig = 254
{{Cl|PRINT}} "&B11111110 = unsigned is" + {{Cl|STR$}}(unsig) + " but signed is " + {{Cl|STR$}}(sig)

unsig = 253
sig = 253
{{Cl|PRINT}} "&B11111101 = unsigned is" + {{Cl|STR$}}(unsig) + " but signed is " + {{Cl|STR$}}(sig)

{{Cl|PRINT}}
{{Cl|PRINT}} "The signed value needs the MSB bit for the sign."
{{Cl|PRINT}} "The most significant bit is furthest to the left."
{{CodeEnd}}
{{OutputStart}}
&B00000001 = unsigned & signed are both 1
&B01111111 = unsigned & signed are both 127
&B11111111 = unsigned is 255 but signed is -1
&B11111110 = unsigned is 254 but signed is -2
&B11111101 = unsigned is 253 but signed is -3

The signed value needs the MSB bit for the sign.
The most significant bit is furthest to the left.
{{OutputEnd}}


{{PageSeeAlso}}
* [[_BIT]], [[&B]]
* [[_DEFINE]], [[DIM]]
* [[_UNSIGNED]]
* [[_SHL]], [[_SHR]]
* [[Mathematical Operations]]
* [[Screen Memory]]
* [[Variable Types]]
* [[Converting Bytes to Bits]]


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