PHP's base64_decode returns wrong result working in IIS

Question

I'm trying to show a jpg that was previously encoded in a WCF web service using:

<?php
require_once '../inc/config.php';
[...]
header("Content-type: image/jpg");
echo base64_decode($doc['BDATA']);

But I'm getting a

Can't display the image because it contains errors.

I've decoded the base64 string in this web app www.opinionatedgeek.com/dotnet/tools/base64decode/ and the result is right, but different that the one I'm getting with base64_decode, which is wrong.

Edit: I have two enviroments using the same code: Test and Production. It works fine in Test, but not in Production, so I'm thinking in some configuration problem.

I'm working with PHP 5.5.9 in Microsoft IIS.

An example of a string that base64_decode isn't decoding well: 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

Any ideas?

Edit 2: If I comment this line require_once '../inc/config.php'; and copy the code from config.php to my actual file, it works fine. What could be happening?

A white image is a real image. My code should show a white image, but it's showing an error: 'Can't display the image because it contains errors.' — Daniel Marín, May 05 '14 at 09:58

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:28

0

From base_64_decode manual comments

php <= 5.0.5's base64_decode( $string ) will assume that a space is meant to be a + sign where php >= 5.1.0's base64_decode( $string ) will no longer make that assumption

To fix this behavior try this code

$encodedData = str_replace(' ','+',$encodedData);
$decocedData = base64_decode($encodedData);

As this is no't your case then you have to check this answer
Because every thing work fine for me here on (WAMP)

EDIT: As in our below conversation

There are a lot of things that may corrupt header for example , if your file encoding is UTF-8 then you should save it as UTF-8 Without bom you can do this using notepad ++ , also make sure if you use FTP that your client didn't any chars to your file , rather than that every thing should work fine

edited May 23 '17 at 12:28

Community

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answered May 05 '14 at 09:58

Samy Massoud

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Still the same error: 'Can't display the image because it contains errors.' – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:03
The thing is, if I remove the header function, the browser shows the stream. That stream is different that the one I get in the web app. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:14
I've edited my initial question, please take a look at it. By the way, I'm using IIS, not Apache, and I think that maybe could be some problem with the charset configuration or something like that. Thanks. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:21
There are a lot of things that may corrupt header for example , if your file encoding is UTF-8 then you should save it as `UTF-8 Without bom` you can do this using notepad ++ , also make sure if you use FTP that your client didn't any chars to your file , rather than that every thing should work fine . – Samy Massoud May 05 '14 at 10:35
I did what you said, but still the same error. Again, I dont think it's a problem with the header, because if I don't print any header I still get a wrong stream. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:49
i will attach file to you please test it on your server and give me result back , Ok – Samy Massoud May 05 '14 at 10:50
I'm not using a FTP. I'm coding directly on the server since I have access to the server machine by TeamViewer. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:52
Please upload this file as it's to your machine and test http://ge.tt/3FtGRuf1/v/0 – Samy Massoud May 05 '14 at 10:53
That code works. I don't know where is my problem then. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 11:16
it's HEADER problem :D believe me just fix your file or use my file as base to your code, also you can accept this answer i will modify it – Samy Massoud May 05 '14 at 11:42
I commented your "header()..." line and I got a valid stream. I did the same in my file and I got an invalid (and different) stream. I'm not using headers. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 11:58
Take a look at "Edit 2" in the original question. Thanks. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 13:08
Solved! I was including a "config.php". I changed the char codification of that file to UTF-8 Without bom and it worked! Thank you very much for your ideas. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 13:16

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 05 '14 at 10:05

0

base64 encoding is not completely standardised.

Some implementations use different characters, so you'll have to replace those characters before you run your decode.

further details

answered May 05 '14 at 10:05

Loopo

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I should say that I have two enviroments: Test and Production and it's working fine in Test. I'll edit my question. – Daniel Marín May 05 '14 at 10:09

PHP's base64_decode returns wrong result working in IIS

2 Answers2