Description

Calculates the binary representation of Base64-encoded data.

Returns

The binary representation of Base64-encoded data.

Category

Conversion functions, String functions

Function syntax

ToBinary(string_in_Base64 or binary_value)

See also

• BinaryDecode for conversion of binary-encoded data, including Base64, to binary data
• 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
• "Binary data type and binary encoding" 9 in the ColdFusion Developer's Guide

Parameters

Usage

Adobe recommends that you use the BinaryDecode function to convert Base64 encoded data to binary data in all new applications.

If you pass a binary value to this function, it returns the input value.

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>