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NOTE:  Designer Cloud Educational is a free product with limitations on its features. Some features in the documentation do not apply to this product edition. See Product Limitations.

   

Converts an input base64 value to text. Output type is String.
  • base64 is a method of representing data in a binary format over text protocols. During encoding, text values are converted to binary values 0-63. Each value is stored as an ASCII character based on a conversion chart. 
    • Typically, base64 is used to transmit binary information, such as images, over transfer methods that use text, such as HTTP. 

      NOTE: base64 is not an effective method of encryption.

    • For more information on base64, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64.

Wrangle vs. SQL: This function is part of Wrangle, a proprietary data transformation language. Wrangle is not SQL. For more information, see Wrangle Language.


Basic Usage

Column reference example:

base64decode(mySource)

Output: Decodes the base64 values from the mySource column into text. 

String literal example:

base64decode('GVsbG8sIFdvcmxkLiA=')

Output: Decodes the input value to the following text: Hello, World.

Syntax and Arguments

base64decode(column_string)


ArgumentRequired?Data TypeDescription
column_stringYstringName of the column or string literal to be applied to the function

For more information on syntax standards, see Language Documentation Syntax Notes.

column_string

Name of the column or string constant to be converted.

  • Missing string or column values generate missing string results.
  • String constants must be quoted ('Hello, World').
  • Multiple columns and wildcards are not supported.

Usage Notes:

Required?Data TypeExample Value
YesString literal or column referencemyColumn


Examples


Tip: For additional examples, see Common Tasks.

Example - base64 encoding and decoding

This example demonstrates how to convert an input string to a base64-encoded value and back to ASCII text strings.

Functions:

ItemDescription
BASE64ENCODE Function Converts an input value to base64 encoding with optional padding with an equals sign (=). Input can be of any type. Output type is String.
BASE64DECODE Function Converts an input base64 value to text. Output type is String.

Source:

The following example contains three columns of different data types:

IntegerFieldStringFieldssn
-2082863942This is a test string.987654321
2012994989"Hello, world."987654322
-1637187918"Hello, world. Hello, world. Hello, world."987654323
-1144194035fyi987654324
-971872543
987654325
353977583This is a test string.987-65-4321
-366583667"Hello, world."987-65-4322
-573117553"Hello, world. Hello, world. Hello, world."987-65-4323
2051041970fyi987-65-4324
522691086
987-65-4325

Transformation - encode: 

You can use the following transformation to encode all of the columns in your dataset:

Transformation Name Edit column with formula
Parameter: Columns All
Parameter: Formula base64encode($col, true)

Results - encode:

The transformed dataset now looks like the following. Note the padding (equals signs) at the end of some of the values. Padding is added by default.

IntegerFieldStringFieldssn
LTIwODI4NjM5NDI=VGhpcyBpcyBhIHRlc3Qgc3RyaW5nLg==OTg3NjU0MzIx
MjAxMjk5NDk4OQ==IkhlbGxvLCB3b3JsZC4iOTg3NjU0MzIy
LTE2MzcxODc5MTg=IkhlbGxvLCB3b3JsZC4gSGVsbG8sIHdvcmxkLiBIZWxsbywgd29ybGQuIg==OTg3NjU0MzIz
LTExNDQxOTQwMzU=ZnlpOTg3NjU0MzI0
LTk3MTg3MjU0Mw==
OTg3NjU0MzI1
MzUzOTc3NTgzVGhpcyBpcyBhIHRlc3Qgc3RyaW5nLg==OTg3LTY1LTQzMjE=
LTM2NjU4MzY2Nw==IkhlbGxvLCB3b3JsZC4iOTg3LTY1LTQzMjI=
LTU3MzExNzU1Mw==IkhlbGxvLCB3b3JsZC4gSGVsbG8sIHdvcmxkLiBIZWxsbywgd29ybGQuIg==OTg3LTY1LTQzMjM=
MjA1MTA0MTk3MA==ZnlpOTg3LTY1LTQzMjQ=
NTIyNjkxMDg2
OTg3LTY1LTQzMjU=

Transformation - decode:

The following transformation can be used to decode all of the columns:

Transformation Name Edit column with formula
Parameter: Columns All
Parameter: Formula base64decode($col)

Results - decode:

IntegerFieldStringFieldssn
-2082863942This is a test string.987654321
2012994989"Hello, world."987654322
-1637187918"Hello, world. Hello, world. Hello, world."987654323
-1144194035fyi987654324
-971872543
987654325
353977583This is a test string.987-65-4321
-366583667"Hello, world."987-65-4322
-573117553"Hello, world. Hello, world. Hello, world."987-65-4323
2051041970fyi987-65-4324
522691086
987-65-4325

See Also for EXAMPLE - Base64 Encoding Functions:

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