Base64 encoding is a software technique that converts a binary data object (such as a JPG image, or a compiled Windows DLL or EXE file) into ASCII text, so that it can be saved or transmitted by facilities that use only text characters, such as many e-mail systems. Base64 encoding is lossless, platform-independent and endian independent.

For example, SOAP and XML operations using HTTP on the World Wide Web are limited to UTF-8 characters, and so often use Base64 encoding for binary objects.

Process Commander employs Base64 encoding to store objects in Rule-File-Binary rules, in file attachments to work objects, and to store scanned documents (TIFF images).

Use the standard functions Base64Encode() and Base64Decode() in the PegaRULES Default library to convert objects to and from this encoding.

For sample Java code that decodes a Base64 object stored in the PegaRULES database and downloads the result to a workstation file, review the standard activity Work-.DisplayAttachFile.

	attachment, binary file, SOAP
	About Binary File rules

Definitions — B