Convert.FromBase64String(String) Method
Definition
Important
Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
Converts the specified string, which encodes binary data as base-64 digits, to an equivalent 8-bit unsigned integer array.
public:
static cli::array <System::Byte> ^ FromBase64String(System::String ^ s);public static byte[] FromBase64String (string s);static member FromBase64String : string -> byte[]Public Shared Function FromBase64String (s As String) As Byte()Parameters
- s
- String
The string to convert.
Returns
An array of 8-bit unsigned integers that is equivalent to s.
Exceptions
s is null.
The length of s, ignoring white-space characters, is not zero or a multiple of 4.
-or-
The format of s is invalid. s contains a non-base-64 character, more than two padding characters, or a non-white space-character among the padding characters.
Examples
The following example uses the ToBase64String(Byte[]) method to convert a byte array to a UUencoded (base-64) string, and then calls the FromBase64String(String) method to restore the original byte array.
using System;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
// Define a byte array.
byte[] bytes = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 };
Console.WriteLine("The byte array: ");
Console.WriteLine(" {0}\n", BitConverter.ToString(bytes));
// Convert the array to a base 64 string.
string s = Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);
Console.WriteLine("The base 64 string:\n {0}\n", s);
// Restore the byte array.
byte[] newBytes = Convert.FromBase64String(s);
Console.WriteLine("The restored byte array: ");
Console.WriteLine(" {0}\n", BitConverter.ToString(newBytes));
}
}
// The example displays the following output:
// The byte array:
// 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
//
// The base 64 string:
// AgQGCAoMDhASFA==
//
// The restored byte array:
// 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
open System
// Define a byte array.
let bytes = [| 2uy; 4uy; 6uy; 8uy; 10uy; 12uy; 14uy; 16uy; 18uy; 20uy |]
printfn $"The byte array:\n {BitConverter.ToString bytes}\n"
// Convert the array to a base 64 string.
let s = Convert.ToBase64String bytes
printfn $"The base 64 string:\n {s}\n"
// Restore the byte array.
let newBytes = Convert.FromBase64String s
printfn $"The restored byte array:\n {BitConverter.ToString newBytes}\n"
// The example displays the following output:
// The byte array:
// 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
//
// The base 64 string:
// AgQGCAoMDhASFA==
//
// The restored byte array:
// 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
Module Example
Public Sub Main()
' Define a byte array.
Dim bytes As Byte() = { 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 }
Console.WriteLine("The byte array: ")
Console.WriteLine(" {0}", BitConverter.ToString(bytes))
Console.WriteLine()
' Convert the array to a base 64 string.
Dim s As String = Convert.ToBase64String(bytes)
Console.WriteLine("The base 64 string:{1} {0}{1}",
s, vbCrLf)
' Restore the byte array.
Dim newBytes As Byte() = Convert.FromBase64String(s)
Console.WriteLine("The restored byte array: ")
Console.WriteLine(" {0}", BitConverter.ToString(newBytes))
Console.WriteLine()
End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
' The byte array:
' 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
'
' The base 64 string:
' AgQGCAoMDhASFA==
'
' The restored byte array:
' 02-04-06-08-0A-0C-0E-10-12-14
The following is a more complex example that creates a 20-element array of 32-bit integers. It then uses the BitConverter.GetBytes(Int32) method to convert each element into a byte array, which it stores in the appropriate position in a buffer by calling the Array.Copy(Array, Int32, Array, Int32, Int32) method. This buffer is then passed to the ToBase64String(Byte[]) method to create a UUencoded (base-64) string. It then calls the FromBase64String(String) method to decode the UUencoded string, and calls the BitConverter.ToInt32 method to convert each set of four bytes (the size of a 32-bit integer) to an integer. The output from the example shows that the original array has been successfully restored.
using System;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
// Define an array of 20 elements and display it.
int[] arr = new int[20];
int value = 1;
for (int ctr = 0; ctr <= arr.GetUpperBound(0); ctr++) {
arr[ctr] = value;
value = value * 2 + 1;
}
DisplayArray(arr);
// Convert the array of integers to a byte array.
byte[] bytes = new byte[arr.Length * 4];
for (int ctr = 0; ctr < arr.Length; ctr++) {
Array.Copy(BitConverter.GetBytes(arr[ctr]), 0,
bytes, ctr * 4, 4);
}
// Encode the byte array using Base64 encoding
String base64 = Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);
Console.WriteLine("The encoded string: ");
for (int ctr = 0; ctr <= base64.Length / 50; ctr++)
Console.WriteLine(base64.Substring(ctr * 50,
ctr * 50 + 50 <= base64.Length
? 50 : base64.Length - ctr * 50));
Console.WriteLine();
// Convert the string back to a byte array.
byte[] newBytes = Convert.FromBase64String(base64);
// Convert the byte array back to an integer array.
int[] newArr = new int[newBytes.Length/4];
for (int ctr = 0; ctr < newBytes.Length / 4; ctr ++)
newArr[ctr] = BitConverter.ToInt32(newBytes, ctr * 4);
DisplayArray(newArr);
}
private static void DisplayArray(Array arr)
{
Console.WriteLine("The array:");
Console.Write("{ ");
for (int ctr = 0; ctr < arr.GetUpperBound(0); ctr++) {
Console.Write("{0}, ", arr.GetValue(ctr));
if ((ctr + 1) % 10 == 0)
Console.Write("\n ");
}
Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}", arr.GetValue(arr.GetUpperBound(0)), "}");
Console.WriteLine();
}
}
// The example displays the following output:
// The array:
// { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
// 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
//
// The encoded string:
// AQAAAAMAAAAHAAAADwAAAB8AAAA/AAAAfwAAAP8AAAD/AQAA/w
// MAAP8HAAD/DwAA/x8AAP8/AAD/fwAA//8AAP//AQD//wMA//8H
//
// The array:
// { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
// 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
open System
let displayArray (arr: 'a[]) =
printfn "The array:"
printf "{ "
for i = 0 to arr.GetUpperBound(0) - 1 do
printf $"{arr[i]}, "
if (i + 1) % 10 = 0 then
printf "\n "
printfn $"{arr[arr.GetUpperBound 0]} }}\n"
// Define an array of 20 elements and display it.
let arr = Array.zeroCreate<int> 20
let mutable value = 1
for i = 0 to arr.GetUpperBound 0 do
arr[i] <- value
value <- value * 2 + 1
displayArray arr
// Convert the array of integers to a byte array.
let bytes = Array.zeroCreate<byte> (arr.Length * 4)
for i = 0 to arr.Length - 1 do
Array.Copy(BitConverter.GetBytes(arr[i]), 0, bytes, i * 4, 4)
// Encode the byte array using Base64 encoding
let base64 = Convert.ToBase64String bytes
printfn "The encoded string: "
printfn $"{base64}\n"
// Convert the string back to a byte array.
let newBytes = Convert.FromBase64String base64
// Convert the byte array back to an integer array.
let newArr = Array.zeroCreate<int> (newBytes.Length / 4)
for i = 0 to newBytes.Length / 4 - 1 do
newArr[i] <- BitConverter.ToInt32(newBytes, i * 4)
displayArray newArr
// The example displays the following output:
// The array:
// { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
// 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
//
// The encoded string:
// AQAAAAMAAAAHAAAADwAAAB8AAAA/AAAAfwAAAP8AAAD/AQAA/wMAAP8HAAD/DwAA/x8AAP8/AAD/fwAA//8AAP//AQD//wMA//8HAP//DwA=
//
// The array:
// { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
// 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
Module Example
Public Sub Main()
' Define an array of 20 elements and display it.
Dim arr(19) As Integer
Dim value As Integer = 1
For ctr As Integer = 0 To arr.GetUpperBound(0)
arr(ctr) = value
value = value * 2 + 1
Next
DisplayArray(arr)
' Convert the array of integers to a byte array.
Dim bytes(arr.Length * 4 - 1) As Byte
For ctr As Integer = 0 To arr.Length - 1
Array.Copy(BitConverter.GetBytes(arr(ctr)), 0,
bytes, ctr * 4, 4)
Next
' Encode the byte array using Base64 encoding
Dim base64 As String = Convert.ToBase64String(bytes)
Console.WriteLine("The encoded string: ")
For ctr As Integer = 0 To base64.Length \ 50 - 1
Console.WriteLine(base64.Substring(ctr * 50,
If(ctr * 50 + 50 <= base64.Length,
50, base64.Length - ctr * 50)))
Next
Console.WriteLine()
' Convert the string back to a byte array.
Dim newBytes() As Byte = Convert.FromBase64String(base64)
' Convert the byte array back to an integer array.
Dim newArr(newBytes.Length\4 - 1) As Integer
For ctr As Integer = 0 To newBytes.Length \ 4 - 1
newArr(ctr) = BitConverter.ToInt32(newBytes, ctr * 4)
Next
DisplayArray(newArr)
End Sub
Private Sub DisplayArray(arr As Array)
Console.WriteLine("The array:")
Console.Write("{ ")
For ctr As Integer = 0 To arr.GetUpperBound(0) - 1
Console.Write("{0}, ", arr.GetValue(ctr))
If (ctr + 1) Mod 10 = 0 Then Console.Write("{0} ", vbCrLf)
Next
Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}", arr.GetValue(arr.GetUpperBound(0)), "}")
Console.WriteLine()
End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
' The array:
' { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
' 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
'
' The encoded string:
' AQAAAAMAAAAHAAAADwAAAB8AAAA/AAAAfwAAAP8AAAD/AQAA/w
' MAAP8HAAD/DwAA/x8AAP8/AAD/fwAA//8AAP//AQD//wMA//8H
'
' The array:
' { 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, 255, 511, 1023,
' 2047, 4095, 8191, 16383, 32767, 65535, 131071, 262143, 524287, 1048575 }
Remarks
s is composed of base-64 digits, white-space characters, and trailing padding characters. The base-64 digits in ascending order from zero are the uppercase characters "A" to "Z", lowercase characters "a" to "z", numerals "0" to "9", and the symbols "+" and "/".
The white-space characters, and their Unicode names and hexadecimal code points, are tab (CHARACTER TABULATION, U+0009), newline (LINE FEED, U+000A), carriage return (CARRIAGE RETURN, U+000D), and blank (SPACE, U+0020). An arbitrary number of white-space characters can appear in s because all white-space characters are ignored.
The valueless character, "=", is used for trailing padding. The end of s can consist of zero, one, or two padding characters.
Important
The FromBase64String method is designed to process a single string that contains all the data to be decoded. To decode base-64 character data from a stream, use the System.Security.Cryptography.FromBase64Transform class.
