int totalGrowth(7);
int grown(0);
if (count >= 1) // ====== padding
{
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[((partial[0] & 0x07) << 2) | 0x00]);
        ++grown;
}
if (count >= 2) // ==== padding
{
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[(partial[1] & 0x3E) >> 1]);
        ++grown;
}
if (count >= 3) // === padding
{
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[((partial[1] & 0x01) << 4) | (partial[2] >> 4)]);
        ++grown;
}
if (count >= 4) // = padding
{
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[((partial[2] & 0x0F) << 1) | (partial[3] >> 7)]);
        ++grown;
}
if  (count >=5) //correct condition? // no padding
{
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[(partial[3] & 0x7C) >> 2]);
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[((partial[3] & 0x03) << 3) | (partial[4] >> 5)]);
        encoded.push_back(alphabet[partial[4] & 0x1F]);
        grown += 3;
}
while (grown < totalGrowth)
{
        encoded.push_back(pad);
}