Converting RGB to HEX

You might probably find this post irrelevant, but it's my first and I didn't know what to offer to the public, so I decided to share sth that has been an issue to me.

why ?

I just wanted to know how must of the conversation were done behind the scenes, I have been writing css and JavaScript for over 2 years now unproffesionally , and funny enough operations like this ones seemed a little tricky.

so I will be using Typescript JavaScript for this, which I know a good number if at all you read this post of you are familiar with.

Examples

• rgb(204, 56, 90) = #cc385a

• rgb(0 247 91 / 50) = #00f75b7f

• [4, 90, 200, 60] = #045ac899

60 in the array denotes the alpha channel which ranges from 0-100 or 0-1

let's get started

export function rgbToHex(arg: string | number[]): string { }

our function rgbToHex can accept two types a string such as "rgb(x, y, z)", "x y z" or an array of numbers [0, 0, 0 ,0

  // within our rgbToHex function 
  const param = typeof arg === "string" ? arg : Array.isArray(arg) ? arg : null;

next we check for the type of our arg and see if it corresponds to what we want , any thing other than a string or an array will be treated as null, the type checking is a weak one

    // within our rgbToHex function 
    // make this object read-only.
    const hexLetters = Object.freeze({ a: 10, b: 11, c: 12, d: 13, e: 14, f: 15 });

next we save some letters which are used in representing hexadecimals above 9 , the letters could be lower or uppercase css doesn't see a difference anyways

    let hex: string = "#", 
    arr: any = param, // lol , just want to safe some time
    len: number,
    calc1: number | string ,
    calc2: number | string;

this are the variables we are going to be manipulating and working with.

    if (typeof param === "string")  arr = arr?.split(/\D/).filter((num: string) => num.length !== 0).map(Number)

so what's actually going on here ?

• first we check for the type , if it's a string which we've been doing right from the beginning.

• we assign arr to a new array by splitting the string , by removing any character other than a number

• then we filter all the empty strings in the new array

• and finally we transform those strings into actual numbers 🔢

Now if the param or arg is already an array I won't do much here just to ensure that the alpha channel isn't above 100 and proceed by changing the alpha channel to a format which will assist in our calculations, that is keeping it internationally in the range of 0

The actual math ➗➖

the code above demonstrate the actual or minimalist math going on, lol it took me two hours to figure this shit out 🥲.

using our examples

• [4, 90, 200, 60] (X, Y, Z, a)

this is how I pictured it.

---

RrGgBb(Aa)

when looking at the hex color #045ac899 you can start to imagine the similarities between it and RrGgBbAa. keeping in mind that numbers above 9 are represented using alphabetical letters a-f see hexLetters constant,

the equation is gotten as such. NB: using our example above

R = X / 16 and if there's a remainder it's used to determine for r = remainder * 16. if there is no remainder then r = 0 same method applies for Gg , Bb and so on.

R = (4 / 16) = 0 and remainder = .25 , so r = (.25 * 16) = 4, hence Rr = 04

G = (90 / 16) = 5 and remainder = .625, so g = (.625 * 16) = a , where a = 10 hence Gg = 5a

B = (200 / 16) = c, where c = 12 and remainder = .5, so b = (.5 * 16) = 8, hence Bb = c8

with this you should be able to work out for Aa.

joining everything together we end up with #045ac899.

//finally we return our result.
return hex;

here is the compiled version ( sorry not machine code)

Am open for criticism, and I will like to be guided by seniors as well, still have much to learn and much to perfect.

in case you made it down here, thanks. 😉