decoding base64-encoded text

gistfile1.clj

(require '[clojure.data.codec.base64 :as base64])

;;---------------------------------------------------
;; From <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64>
(def input "TWFuIGlzIGRpc3Rpbmd1aXNoZWQsIG5vdCBvbmx5IGJ5IGhpcyByZWFzb24sIGJ1dCBieSB0aGlz
IHNpbmd1bGFyIHBhc3Npb24gZnJvbSBvdGhlciBhbmltYWxzLCB3aGljaCBpcyBhIGx1c3Qgb2Yg
dGhlIG1pbmQsIHRoYXQgYnkgYSBwZXJzZXZlcmFuY2Ugb2YgZGVsaWdodCBpbiB0aGUgY29udGlu
dWVkIGFuZCBpbmRlZmF0aWdhYmxlIGdlbmVyYXRpb24gb2Yga25vd2xlZGdlLCBleGNlZWRzIHRo
ZSBzaG9ydCB2ZWhlbWVuY2Ugb2YgYW55IGNhcm5hbCBwbGVhc3VyZS4=")

(let [output (base64/decode input)]
  (println output))

;; That fails, I think because base64/decode wants a byte array. Ok. Let's
;; instead try:

(let [output (base64/decode (.getBytes input))]
  (println output))

;; That prints out what appears to be a byte array. How
;; can I turn that into a string?

;; This gets me closer:

(let [output (String. (base64/decode (.getBytes input)))]
  (println output))

;; But yields a mix of correct text and gibberish in my terminal window.

;; Note, the base64-encoded text is not all ascii.

Your input has newlines, which need to be taken out before you do a base64 decode. Either make the input one line, or do a clojure.string/replace on the text to clean up the newlines.

Thanks, sparkhom. Seems like base64/decode should accomodate that...