Question

given the following Code:

    byte x, xmin, xmax, xstep;
    x = (x + xstep < xmax ? x + xstep : xmax)

the compiler tells me

Cannot implicitly convert type 'int' to 'byte'. An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?) 

Where does the conversion from byte to int happen? And why?

Answer 1

Adding a byte to a byte results in an int, according to the MSDN:

Consider, for example, the following two byte variables x and y:

    byte x = 10, y = 20;

The following assignment statement will produce a compilation error, because the arithmetic expression on the right-hand side of the assignment operator evaluates to int by default.

    // Error: conversion from int to byte:
    byte z = x + y;

To fix this problem, use a cast:

    // OK: explicit conversion:
    byte z = (byte)(x + y);