base64 terminal input failure

[e-letter]

Readers,

I have tried to copy base64 encoded text from the clipboard (i.e. a
web mail message) to the command terminal:

base64 -d 'xyz'

where 'xyz' is the base64 text. According to the manual, standard
input can be accepted if a file is not accepted but instead the
terminal response is:

base64: xyz: No such file or directory

What is my mistake please?

The command:
'echo xyz | base64 -d'

returns:
�,base64: invalid input

If the base64 text is saved as a file, conversion is successful.

yours,

mandriva2008
gnome220