diff --git a/lib/bitfields.h b/lib/bitfields.h
index 4a2a2721..96b7605f 100644
--- a/lib/bitfields.h
+++ b/lib/bitfields.h
@@ -51,6 +51,51 @@ namespace Bit{
     p[2] = val & 0xFF;
   }
 
+  /// Retrieves a 40-bit uint in network order from the pointer p.
+  inline uint64_t btoh40(const char * p) {
+    return ((uint64_t)p[0] << 32) | ((uint64_t)p[1] << 24) | ((uint64_t)p[2] << 16) | ((uint64_t)p[3] << 8) | p[4];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a 40-bit uint value of val in network order to the pointer p.
+  inline void htob40(char * p, uint64_t val) {
+    p[0] = (val >> 32) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    p[2] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[3] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[4] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a 48-bit uint in network order from the pointer p.
+  inline uint64_t btoh48(const char * p) {
+    return ((uint64_t)p[0] << 40) | ((uint64_t)p[1] << 32) | ((uint64_t)p[2] << 24) | ((uint64_t)p[3] << 16) | ((uint64_t)p[4] << 8) | p[5];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a 48-bit uint value of val in network order to the pointer p.
+  inline void htob48(char * p, uint64_t val) {
+    p[0] = (val >> 40) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 32) & 0xFF;
+    p[2] = (val >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    p[3] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[4] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[5] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a 56-bit uint in network order from the pointer p.
+  inline uint64_t btoh56(const char * p) {
+    return ((uint64_t)p[0] << 48) | ((uint64_t)p[1] << 40) | ((uint64_t)p[2] << 32) | ((uint64_t)p[3] << 24) | ((uint64_t)p[4] << 16) | ((uint64_t)p[5] << 8) | p[6];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a 56-bit uint value of val in network order to the pointer p.
+  inline void htob56(char * p, uint64_t val) {
+    p[0] = (val >> 48) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 40) & 0xFF;
+    p[2] = (val >> 32) & 0xFF;
+    p[3] = (val >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    p[4] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[5] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[6] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
   /// Retrieves a long long in network order from the pointer p.
   inline unsigned long long btohll(const char * p) {
     return ((unsigned long long)p[0] << 56) | ((unsigned long long)p[1] << 48) | ((unsigned long long)p[2] << 40) | ((unsigned long long)p[3] << 32) | ((unsigned long)p[4] << 24) | ((unsigned long)p[5] << 16) | ((unsigned long)p[6] << 8) | p[7];
@@ -68,5 +113,76 @@ namespace Bit{
     p[7] = val & 0xFF;
   }
 
+  inline float btohf(const char * p){
+    uint32_t tmp = btohl(p);
+    return *reinterpret_cast<float*>(&tmp);
+  }
+
+  inline float htobf(char * p, float val){
+    htobl(p, *reinterpret_cast<unsigned long*>(&val));
+  }
+
+  inline double btohd(const char * p){
+    uint64_t tmp = btohll(p);
+    return *reinterpret_cast<double*>(&tmp);
+  }
+
+  inline float htobd(char * p, double val){
+    htobll(p, *reinterpret_cast<unsigned long*>(&val));
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a short in little endian from the pointer p.
+  inline unsigned short btohs_le(const char * p) {
+    return ((unsigned short)p[1] << 8) | p[0];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a short value of val in little endian to the pointer p.
+  inline void htobs_le(char * p, unsigned short val) {
+    p[1] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[0] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a long in network order from the pointer p.
+  inline unsigned long btohl_le(const char * p) {
+    return ((unsigned long)p[3] << 24) | ((unsigned long)p[2] << 16) | ((unsigned long)p[1] << 8) | p[0];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a long value of val in little endian to the pointer p.
+  inline void htobl_le(char * p, unsigned long val) {
+    p[3] = (val >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    p[2] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[0] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a long in little endian from the pointer p.
+  inline unsigned long btoh24_le(const char * p) {
+    return ((unsigned long)p[2] << 16) | ((unsigned long)p[1] << 8) | p[0];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a long value of val in network order to the pointer p.
+  inline void htob24_le(char * p, unsigned long val) {
+    p[2] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[0] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
+  /// Retrieves a long long in little endian from the pointer p.
+  inline unsigned long long btohll_le(const char * p) {
+    return ((unsigned long long)p[7] << 56) | ((unsigned long long)p[6] << 48) | ((unsigned long long)p[5] << 40) | ((unsigned long long)p[4] << 32) | ((unsigned long)p[3] << 24) | ((unsigned long)p[2] << 16) | ((unsigned long)p[1] << 8) | p[0];
+  }
+
+  /// Stores a long value of val in little endian to the pointer p.
+  inline void htobll_le(char * p, unsigned long long val) {
+    p[7] = (val >> 56) & 0xFF;
+    p[6] = (val >> 48) & 0xFF;
+    p[5] = (val >> 40) & 0xFF;
+    p[4] = (val >> 32) & 0xFF;
+    p[3] = (val >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    p[2] = (val >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    p[1] = (val >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    p[0] = val & 0xFF;
+  }
+
 }