ToBinary |
Description
Calculates the binary representation of Base64-encoded data.
Returns
The binary representation of Base64-encoded data.
Category
Conversion functions, Other functions, String functions
Function syntax

    ToBinary(string_in_Base64 or binary_value)

See also

- cffile for information about loading and reading binary data
- cfwddx for information about serializing and deserializing binary data
- IsBinary and ToBase64 for checking format and converting to Base64
- Len for determining the length of a binary object

Parameters

Parameter | Description
string_in_Base64 or | A string or a variable that contains one:
binary_value | In Base64 format to convert to binary
| In binary format to test whether it is valid

Usage
Base64 provides 6-bit encoding of 8-bit ASCII characters. From Base64 data, you can recreate the binary object that it represents, such as a GIF, JPG, or executable file.

Example

    <h3>ToBinary Example</h3>
    <!---- Initialize data. ---->
    <cfset charData = "">
    <!---- Create a string of ASCII characters (32-255); concatenate them. ---->
    <cfloop index = "data" from = "32" to = "255">
       <cfset ch = chr(data)>
       <cfset charData = charData & ch>
    </cfloop>
    <p>The following string is the concatenation of all characters (32 to 255)
    from the ASCII table.<br>
    <cfoutput>#charData#</cfoutput></p>
    <!----- Create a Base64 representation of this string. ----->
    <cfset data64 = toBase64(charData)>

    <!--- Convert string to binary. ---->
    <cfset binaryData = toBinary(data64)>
    <!--- Convert binary back to Base64. --->
    <cfset another64 = toBase64(binaryData)>
    <!---- Compare another64 with data64 to ensure that they are equal. ---->
    <cfif another64 eq data64>
       <h3>Base64 representation of binary data is identical to the Base64
    representation of string data.</h3>
    <cfelse>
       <h3>Conversion error.</h3>
    </cfif>

STRING_IN_BASE64 OR BINARY_VALUE |

A string or a variable that contains one:

- In Base64 format to convert to binary
- In binary format to test whether it is valid