Encode string variable to UTF-16LE base64 using Delphi

Question

I'm looking to encode a string variable to UTF-16LE and base64 , the problem is that I find nothing about how to do UTF-16LE in Delphi.

Example in Python :

from base64 import b64encode
b64encode('my text'.encode('UTF-16LE'))

Example in Ruby :

require "base64"
Base64.encode64('my text'.force_encoding('UTF-16LE'))

As I can do this in Delphi?

Updated :

procedure TFormTest.btnTestClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  dest, src: TEncoding;
  srcBytes, destBytes: TBytes;
  Encoder: TIdEncoderMime;
begin
  Encoder := TIdEncoderMime.Create(nil);
  src := TEncoding.Unicode;
  srcBytes := src.GetBytes(Edit1.Text);
  Edit2.Text := Encoder.EncodeBytes(srcBytes);
  FreeAndNil(Encoder);

end;

Is a valid base64 UTF-16LE created?

Powershell tells me it is invalid

Command to use :

(New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadFile('http://localhos/update_program.exe','updater.exe'); Start-Process 'updater.exe'

Output error :

Missing expression after unary operator '-'.

In Delphi versions 2009 and above, strings are in UTF-16LE. You want a method to do B64 encoding. You can probably find something in one of the Indy units. — Rudy Velthuis
– Rudy Velthuis, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 15:47
Delphi is little-endian, and 'UTF-16LE' is default Delphi encoding for strings. — kludg
– kludg, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 15:48
TEncoding.Unicode.GetBytes(str) to encode as UTF-16LE. Then use one of the many base64 encoders. Try some websearch. — David Heffernan
– David Heffernan, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 16:06

Remy Lebeau · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-16 16:36:54Z

2

What you have shown is technically correct. The String gets encoded to a UTF-16LE byte array first, and then the bytes get base64 encoded.

Since you are calling TIdEncoderMIME.Create() to create an object instance, you should be using the Encode() instance method instead of the EncodeBytes() static method (which creates another instance internally):

procedure TFormTest.btnTestClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  Encoder: TIdEncoderMIME;
begin
  Encoder := TIdEncoderMIME.Create(nil);
  // prior to Indy 10.6.0, use TIdTextEncoding.Unicode
  // instead of IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE...
  Edit2.Text := Encoder.Encode(Edit1.Text, IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE);
  Encoder.Free;
end;

Which can be simplified further using the EncodeString() static method:

procedure TFormTest.btnTestClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  // prior to Indy 10.6.0, use TIdTextEncoding.Unicode
  // instead of IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE...
  Edit2.Text := TIdEncoderMIME.EncodeString(Edit1.Text, IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE);
end;

But either way, the output is all the same. So any problem you are still having has to be elsewhere. But you have not provided any details about how you are validating the data, what tools are rejecting it, what errors are actually being reported, etc.

edited Jul 16, 2016 at 16:36

answered Jul 15, 2016 at 16:43

Remy Lebeau

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16 Comments

Matt Olsen Over a year ago

thanks for the help , that version of delphi begins to appear "IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE" ? , because I call the unit IdGlobal but "IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE" is missing

Remy Lebeau Over a year ago

@MattOlsen it was added in Indy 10.6.0.0 (shipped with XE4), when TIdTextEncoding was replaced with IIdTextEncoding. You can upgrade XE2 to the latest Indy version, or just use TIdTextEncoding.Unicode instead of IndyTextEncoding_UTF16LE .

Rudy Velthuis Over a year ago

@RemyLebeau: FreeAndNil, honestly? Encoder will leave scope immediately after that, so there is no need to nil the reference.

Remy Lebeau Over a year ago

@RudyVelthuis it was a copy/paste from the OP's code. On the other hand, by your reaction, should we call Destroy instead of Free to avoid the check for nil, too?

Rudy Velthuis Over a year ago

No, we should call Free, and Free only. More about that issue in the Embarcadero forums.

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