How to base64 encode image in linux bash / shell
LinuxImageShellVariablesBase64Linux Problem Overview
I'm trying to base64 encode an image in a shell script and put it into variable:
test="$(printf DSC_0251.JPG | base64)"
echo $test
RFNDXzAyNTEuSlBH
I've also tried something like this:
test=\`echo -ne DSC_0251.JPG | base64\`
but still with no success.
I want to do something like this:
curl -v -X POST -d '{"image":$IMAGE_BASE64,"location":$LOCATION,"time_created":$TIMECREATED}' -H 'Content-type: text/plain; charset=UTF8' http://192.168.1.1/upload
I found this http://www.zzzxo.com/q/answers-bash-base64-encode-script-not-encoding-right-12290484.html
but still have had no success.
Linux Solutions
Solution 1 - Linux
You need to use cat
to get the contents of the file named 'DSC_0251.JPG', rather than the filename itself.
test="$(cat DSC_0251.JPG | base64)"
However, base64
can read from the file itself:
test=$( base64 DSC_0251.JPG )
Solution 2 - Linux
Encode
On Linux
Single line result:
base64 -w 0 DSC_0251.JPG
For HTML
:
echo "data:image/jpeg;base64,$(base64 -w 0 DSC_0251.JPG)"
As file:
base64 -w 0 DSC_0251.JPG > DSC_0251.JPG.base64
In variable:
IMAGE_BASE64="$(base64 -w 0 DSC_0251.JPG)"
In variable for HTML
:
IMAGE_BASE64="data:image/jpeg;base64,$(base64 -w 0 DSC_0251.JPG)"
On OSX
On OSX, the base64
binary is different, and the parameters are different. If you want to use it on OSX, you should remove -w 0
.
Single line result:
base64 DSC_0251.JPG
For HTML
:
echo "data:image/jpeg;base64,$(base64 DSC_0251.JPG)"
As file:
base64 DSC_0251.JPG > DSC_0251.JPG.base64
In variable:
IMAGE_BASE64="$(base64 DSC_0251.JPG)"
In variable for HTML
:
IMAGE_BASE64="data:image/jpeg;base64,$(base64 DSC_0251.JPG)"
Generic OSX/Linux
As Shell Function
@base64() {
if [[ "${OSTYPE}" = darwin* ]]; then
# OSX
if [ -t 0 ]; then
base64 "$@"
else
cat /dev/stdin | base64 "$@"
fi
else
# Linux
if [ -t 0 ]; then
base64 -w 0 "$@"
else
cat /dev/stdin | base64 -w 0 "$@"
fi
fi
}
# Usage
@base64 DSC_0251.JPG
cat DSC_0251.JPG | @base64
As Shell Script
Create base64.sh
file with following content:
#!/usr/bin/env bash
if [[ "${OSTYPE}" = darwin* ]]; then
# OSX
if [ -t 0 ]; then
base64 "$@"
else
cat /dev/stdin | base64 "$@"
fi
else
# Linux
if [ -t 0 ]; then
base64 -w 0 "$@"
else
cat /dev/stdin | base64 -w 0 "$@"
fi
fi
Make it executable:
chmod a+x base64.sh
Usage:
./base64.sh DSC_0251.JPG
cat DSC_0251.JPG | ./base64.sh
Decode
Get you readable data back:
base64 -d DSC_0251.base64 > DSC_0251.JPG
Solution 3 - Linux
There is a Linux command for that: base64
base64 DSC_0251.JPG >DSC_0251.b64
To assign result to variable use
test=`base64 DSC_0251.JPG`
Solution 4 - Linux
If you need input from termial, try this
lc=`echo -n "xxx_${yyy}_iOS" | base64`
-n
option will not input "\n" character to base64 command.
Solution 5 - Linux
Base 64 for html:
file="DSC_0251.JPG"
type=$(identify -format "%m" "$file" | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]')
echo "data:image/$type;base64,$(base64 -w 0 "$file")"
Solution 6 - Linux
To base64 it and put it in your clipboard:
file="test.docx"
base64 -w 0 $file | xclip -selection clipboard
Solution 7 - Linux
Please be very cautious when using echo
(as many answers here), because it will add a newline character at the end, distorting your encoded string (leading to e.g. incorrect passwords) due to these ominous extra encoded characters: Cg==
added at the end of the encoded string:
For example, if we have this string to encode:
$ MINIO_SECRET_KEY=VsarGnNADHGv
With `printf' it will look like this (correct):
$ AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="$(printf $MINIO_SECRET_KEY | base64)" && echo $AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
VnNhckduTkFESEd2
... but with echo
like this (incorrect):
$ AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="$(echo $MINIO_SECRET_KEY | base64)" && echo $AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
VnNhckduTkFESEd2Cg==