Summary A component which generates XML documents as strings, with no dependency on MSXML.

Sometimes, it's a bit heavy to add a dependency on the MSXML component in your project, just to get the Base64 functionality. For example, I have a component which generates XML documents as strings, with no dependency on MSXML.

1. Obtain the MS Soap Toolkit - there's a Base64 Encoder/Decoder COM object in there.  Note: There may be a couple of minor bugs in the implementation in the current Technology Preview. The source code (C++) is included.
2. Write your own VB class to do the job. I have a working VB Base64 class (not rigorously tested, though), if anyone is interested.

Note also that the Base64 encoded string produced by MSXML contains newline characters (Unicode 10, decimal) every 73 (encoded) characters. My VB example handles these (and other) invalid Base64 characters.