---
title: Binary resources
description: Examples in this documentation depend on features activated in the ds-evaluation setup profile. For details, refer to Learn about the evaluation setup profile.
component: pingds
version: 7.4
page_id: pingds:rest-guide:binary-rest
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/rest-guide/binary-rest.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2023-08-10T15:45:40Z
keywords: ["REST API"]
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/rest-guide/binary-rest.html
section_ids:
  binary-rest-update: Add a binary resource
  binary-rest-read: Read a binary resource
---

# Binary resources

|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | Examples in this documentation depend on features activated in the `ds-evaluation` setup profile. For details, refer to [Learn about the evaluation setup profile](../install-guide/setup-ds.html#about-ds-evaluation).The code samples demonstrate how to contact the server over HTTPS using the deployment CA certificate. Before trying the samples, generate the CA certificate in PEM format from the server deployment ID and password:```bash
$ dskeymgr \
 export-ca-cert \
 --deploymentId $DEPLOYMENT_ID \
 --deploymentIdPassword password \
 --outputFile ca-cert.pem
``` |

## Add a binary resource

1. Ensure the application has a resource to upload.

   For example, copy a JPEG photo `picture.jpg` to the current directory.

2. Upload the binary resource as a base64-encoded JSON string.

   The following example updates Babs Jensen's resource to add or replace the profile photo:

   ```bash
   $ base64 encode --rawDataFile picture.jpg
   /9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEAYABgAAD/4QAWRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAABAAEDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAr/xAAUEAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AL+AAf/Z

   $ curl \
    --request PUT \
    --cacert ca-cert.pem \
    --user dc=com/dc=example/ou=People/uid=kvaughan:bribery \
    --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    --data '{"photo": "/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEAYABgAAD/4QAWRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAABAAEDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAr/xAAUEAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AL+AAf/Z"}' \
    'https://localhost:8443/hdap/dc=com/dc=example/ou=People/uid=bjensen'
   ```

## Read a binary resource

1. Read the binary resource as a base64-encoded JSON string.

   The following example reads Babs Jensen's profile photo:

   ```bash
   $ curl \
    --cacert ca-cert.pem \
    --user dc=com/dc=example/ou=People/uid=kvaughan:bribery \
    'https://localhost:8443/hdap/dc=com/dc=example/ou=People/uid=bjensen?_fields=photo&_prettyPrint=true'
   {
     "_id" : "dc=com/dc=example/ou=People/uid=bjensen",
     "_rev" : "<revision>",
     "photo" : [ "/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEAYABgAAD/4QAWRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAABAAEDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAr/xAAUEAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AL+AAf/Z" ]
   }
   ```