---
title: "Invalid Character in Base-64 String” using ASP.NET"  
description: "Invalid Character in Base-64 String” using ASP.NET"  
author: "Anonymous User"  
published: 2014-12-08  
updated: 2014-12-08  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12766/invalid-character-in-base-64-string-using-asp-dot-net  
category: "asp.net"  
tags: ["validation"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# Invalid Character in Base-64 String” using ASP.NET

I have a [Sql Server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12999/what-is-table-valued-function-in-sql-server) 2008 R2 [connection string](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/328/connection-strings) that looks like

<add name="DBConnectionString"

providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"

connectionString="[Data Source](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/808/what-is-a-data-source)=AYZ;Initial Catalog=AYZ;User ID=AYZ;[Password](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/118/retriving-user-password-by-using-stored-procedure-in-asp-dot-net)=AYZ;"/>

When trying to create a new [instance](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/155658/testing-connection-to-cloud-sql-instance-with-a-mysql-client-from-vm-instance) of SQLDatabase using EnterpriseLibrary.Data I get the above error.

connString =ConnectionStrings.ConnectionStrings["ConnectionString"];

[Database](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12226/use-of-database-in-sencha-extjs-and-insert-record-from-user-form-using-ajax) objDB = new SqlDatabase(connString);

**The [detailed](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/84608/what-are-hindenburg-s-allegations-against-adani-detailed-explanation) [exception](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1824/objective-c-exception-handling) is as follows :**

System.FormatException was unhandled by user code

```
  Message=Invalid character in a Base-64 string.  Source=mscorlib  StackTrace:       at System.Convert.FromBase64String(String s)       at Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.Database.DecryptConnectionString(String strEncyptConStr)       at Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.Database..ctor(String connectionString, DbProviderFactory dbProviderFactory)       at Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.Sql.SqlDatabase..ctor(String connectionString)       at Syntel.GRC.DAL.CommonDAL..ctor() in D:\Vrushal\Projects\Right Price\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC.DAL\CommonDAL.cs:line 31       at Syntel.GRC.BLL.CommonBLL..ctor() in D:\Vrushal\Projects\Right Price\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC.BLL\CommonBLL.cs:line 14       at Global.Application_Error(Object sender, EventArgs e) in d:\Vrushal\Projects\Right Price\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC\Syntel.GRC.WEB\App_Code\Global.asax.cs:line 60       at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)       at System.Web.HttpApplication.RaiseOnError()  InnerException:
```

Please help me with a solution.

Thanks.

## Replies

### Reply by Anonymous User

The connection string had to encrypt to work. The team working on the project used base64encode.org to encode the string.

### Reply by Anonymous User

You're missing a " at the end of the [connection](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13012/what-makes-ethernet-connection-better-than-wifi) [string](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1527/string-split-in-c-sharp) property. It should be:

```
<add name="ConnectionStringName"    providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"    connectionString="Data Source=ServerName\InstanceName;Initial Catalog=DatabaseName;"/>
```


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12766/invalid-character-in-base-64-string-using-asp-dot-net

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