TheAlgorithms/C-Sharp · error · ArgumentException

sequence must be not longer than the bit array length

Error message

sequence must be not longer than the bit array length

What it means

BitArray.Compile(string) throws ArgumentException when the given sequence is longer than the array's underlying field length. Compile overwrites the bit array starting at index 0, so a sequence longer than the allocated bits cannot fit; the caller must construct an array at least as long as the sequence.

Solutions

1. Recreate the BitArray with a size >= sequence.Length before compiling: `new BitArray(sequence.Length)` then Compile
2. Check `sequence.Length <= bitArray.Length` (or the backing field length) before compiling
3. Trim or validate input sequences to a fixed expected width
4. Catch ArgumentException and rebuild a larger array as a fallback

Example fix

// before
shared.Compile(sequence); // throws if sequence longer than array
// after
if (sequence.Length > shared.Length)
{
    shared = new BitArray(sequence);
}
else
{
    shared.Compile(sequence);
}

if (sequence.Length > bitArray.Length) bitArray = new BitArray(sequence.Length);

static bool FitsInArray(BitArray a, string seq) => seq.Length <= a.Length && seq.All(c => c == '0' || c == '1');

try { bitArray.Compile(sequence); } catch (ArgumentException) { /* sequence too long or invalid */ }

When it happens

Trigger: `bitArray.Compile(sequence)` where sequence.Length > field.Length, e.g., compiling a longer binary string into a BitArray built with a smaller size or from a shorter initial string.

Common situations: Reusing one BitArray instance across inputs of varying length; resizing input data without reallocating the array; hardcoded array sizes that a longer config/probe bit string outgrows.

Understand the failure class

Background: "value must be between 0 and 1" / "out of range" / "must not be negative" errors: fixing range-validation failures across open-source libraries — this error's family across 42 libraries.

Related errors

• Input lists must have the same length.
• Sequence must been greater than or equal to 1
• number must be positive
• Provided number is too big
• Value is too big to fit into Int64

AI-assisted analysis of TheAlgorithms/C-Sharp@96e2905cab (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/8ca7c42565163fd3. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at DataStructures/BitArray.cs:536

    ///     The input assumes arrays have the same length.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="one">First bit-array.</param>
    /// <param name="two">Second bit-array.</param>
    /// <returns>Returns True if there inputs aren't equal; False otherwise.</returns>
    public static bool operator !=(BitArray one, BitArray two) => !(one == two);

    /// <summary>
    ///     Compiles the binary sequence into the inner data structure.
    ///     The sequence must have the same length, as the bit-array.
    ///     The sequence may only be allowed contains ones or zeros.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="sequence">A string sequence of 0's and 1's.</param>
    public void Compile(string sequence)
    {
        // precondition I
        if (sequence.Length > field.Length)
        {
            throw new ArgumentException($"{nameof(sequence)} must be not longer than the bit array length");
        }

        // precondition II
        ThrowIfSequenceIsInvalid(sequence);

        // for appropriate scaling
        if (sequence.Length < field.Length)
        {
            var difference = field.Length - sequence.Length;
            sequence = new string('0', difference) + sequence;
        }

        // actual compile procedure.
        for (var i = 0; i < sequence.Length; i++)
        {
            field[i] = sequence[i] == '1';
        }
    }

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