Convert from base64 string to text

I receive the following error message when attempting to run this code:

Dim Buffer As Byte() = Convert.FromBase64String(strBody)

The input is not a valid Base-64 string as it contains a non-base 64 character, more than two padding characters, or an illegal character among the padding characters.

I am trying to output a readable string of text (variable) to a Textbox from my email using POP :

It also contains HTML code which i removed because i was unable to save the post on here.

String text

--_004_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="_000_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_"

--_000_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Peter,

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks Emma

Tel:328148 Mob: 0777 8205

[recycling%20logo]"Please consider your environmental responsibility before=
printing this e-mail"

This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may also be legally=
privileged. They are intended solely for the intended addressee.

--_000_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

--_000_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_--

--_004_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_
Content-Type: image/jpeg; name="image001.jpg"
Content-Description: image001.jpg
Content-Disposition: inline; filename="image001.jpg"; size=1090;
creation-date="Tue, 14 Jul 2019 09:52:57 GMT";
modification-date="Tue, 14 Jul 2019 09:52:57 GMT"
Content-ID:
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64

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AFFFFAH/2Q==
--_004_46221637E59720418908A2B0A37AE83701464C393EBAHSIAEXB201b_--

4 Replies

Know the answer? Post it — somebody with the same question will find it here.

Ninaada Bellippady5y ago
You could try url-decoding before converting from Base64. I have seen Gmail doing such things before.
+1
peter5y ago
How do i translate
=?utf-8?b?SXTigJlz?=
into it's

This is the code that is sent from POP3 SERVER embedded into Subject header. The full code is:
"Subject: Online Banking | =?utf-8?b?SXTigJlz?= been a while, Mr Jones"
+1
peter5y ago
try this string.it is from a email Subject header that contains a icon image. that i cannot convert without throw same error as mention.
"=?utf-8?B?UGV0ZXIsIGZpbmQgc29tZW9uZSB3aG8gbG92ZXMgdGhlIGpvYnMg?="

i gather it contains wrong characters, though i try remove without success. and i want my program operation to work automatically without having to manually alter code!
+1
Sachin Singh5y ago
see this

let's assume I have a string, first i will convert it to base64
Dim byt As Byte() = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(strOriginal)

  strModified = Convert.ToBase64String(byt)
Now let's reverse it and check we get the string or not
Dim b As Byte() = Convert.FromBase64String(strModified)
strOriginal = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(b)
Let me know if this works.
+1