I should explain for starters that I am a Delphi/C++ programmer. ActionScript, JavaScript etc are relative unknowns to me. The one thing I have realized is that given the environments in which they are designed to be used there are often constraints on just what can be done.

First some background

I am in the process of creating server side components that need to deliver data to clients that can be Win32 executables, Flash or AJAX. I am using XML to transfer data between client and server. Some of the server -> client data transfers involve sending PNG images or WMA files.

So here are my questions

• I have come across references to how Base64 is better for coding CDATA sections. Why? In what way is it better than hexadecimal?Is there any way I can convert the encoded binary in a CDATA section back to the PNG/WMA file using plain ActionScript?
• If I get that far would I then be able to display the image when and where I want?
• I realize that there is another route - that of providing a URL to the image/sound resource in question and then letting AS/JS interpret the former but in my context this would be rather messy. I should add that the client side time issues when getting the scripting language to do some work is not going to pose a problem

I woudl much appreciate any help.