Base64ToString (String function)

Convert a base 64 string to Ebcdic (String class)

Syntax

%outString = string:Base64ToString Throws InvalidBase64Data

Syntax terms

%outString	A string variable to receive the unencoded value of the method object string.
string	The input, base64-encoded string value.

Exceptions

Base64ToString can throw the following exceptions:

InvalidBase64data

If the method object string does not contain a properly encoded base64 value. The exception object indicates the position of the first invalid character in the method object string.

Usage notes

• Base64 encoding is useful for encoding strings that might contain binary or other characters that could cause problems in certain contexts. For example, binary characters can be problematic when sent in e-mail.
• Base64 encoding is an alternative to hexadecimal encoding. Hexadecimal encoding has the advantage that it's simpler, but it has the disadvantage that it requires two bytes for every encoded byte. Base64 encoding, because it uses more characters (64, as the name would suggest), only requires four bytes for every three encoded bytes.
• A complete explanation of base64 encoding can be easily found on the internet or in many software textbooks.
• The Base64ToString function accepts both the standard base64 encoding (where the encoded string is padded out to an even multiple of four bytes by adding trailing equal signs) and a non-standard encoding (where no trailing equal signs are added and the encoded string might not be an exact multiple of four bytes).
• Base64ToString is available as of Sirius Mods version 7.2.

Examples

The following statement displays Sleeping Bear:

printText {'4pOFhZeJlYdAwoWBmQ==':base64toString}

See also

• The inverse of Base64ToString is StringToBase64.

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