[netconf] base64encodedvalue== is an invalid base64 value

[Kent Watsen <[e-mail]>]

I’m unsure if this issue warrants a fix, but be aware that using "base64encodedvalue==“ in code doesn't roundtrip correctly:

$ echo "base64encodedvalue==" | base64 -d | base64
base64encodedvaluQ==

Specifically, there is no binary input that results in “ue==“.

$ echo "ue==" | base64 -d | base64
uQ==

The reason is a more detailed than this message warrants, but effectively, the second sextet is quantized and, worse, none of three different implementations I tested against raise a warning, much less an error...which is reasonable, IMO.

Options:

1) stick with "base64encodedvalue==“ for the examples.
2) use a different value that is a valid base64 string.

Thoughts?


With regards to option #1:
  - still seems okay, as the value never occurs in practice


With regards to option #2:

  - if it is desired to end with “==“:
      - the last character must be one of [A, Q, g, w]
      - options: b64tag==, BASE64DATA==

  - if it is desired to end with “=“:
      - the last character must be one of [A, E, I, M, Q, U, Y, c, g, k, o, s, w, 0, 4, 8]
      - options: BASE64VALUE=

  - if it is desisired to end with no padding:
      - any alphanumeric string with length%4==0 works
      - options: base64encodedval, anybase64val, b64value, base64string


K.