Get base 64 data from image

        /**
         * Get data URI from object.
         *
         * Encoding to JPG took 2000ms in some cases where PNG took 200ms.
         * I have not extensively tested this but it seems to be 10x faster
         * than JPG.
         * */
        public function getDataURI(target:Object, type:String = "png"):String {
            var output:String;

            if (type.toLowerCase()=="jpg") {
                type = "jpeg";
            }

            output = "data:image/" + type + ";base64," + getBase64ImageData(target, type);

            return output;
        }

        /**
         * Returns base64 image string.
         *
         * Encoding to JPG took 2000ms in some cases where PNG took 200ms.
         * I have not extensively tested this but it seems to be 10x faster
         * than JPG.
         *
         * Performance:
         * get snapshot. time=14
         * encode to png. time=336 // encode to jpg. time=2000
         * encode to base 64. time=35
         * */
        public function getBase64ImageData(target:Object, type:String = "png", checkCache:Boolean = false):String {
            var component:IUIComponent = target as IUIComponent;
            var bitmapData:BitmapData;
            var byteArray:ByteArray;
            var base64:Base64Encoder;

            if (base64BitmapCache[target] && checkCache) {
                return base64BitmapCache[target];
            }

            //var time:int = getTimer();
            if (component) {
                bitmapData = BitmapUtil.getSnapshot(component);
            }
            else if (target is DisplayObject) {
                bitmapData = DisplayObjectUtils.getBitmapDataSnapshot2(target as DisplayObject);
            }
            else if (target is BitmapData) {
                bitmapData = target as BitmapData;
            }
            else {
                return null;
            }

            //trace ("get snapshot. time=" + (getTimer()-time));
            //time = getTimer();
            if (type=="png") {
                if (!pngEncoder) {
                    pngEncoder = new PNGEncoder();
                }

                byteArray = pngEncoder.encode(bitmapData);
            }
            else if (type=="jpg" || type=="jpeg") {

                if (!jpegEncoder) {
                    jpegEncoder = new JPEGEncoder();
                }

                byteArray = jpegEncoder.encode(bitmapData);
            }
            else {
                // raw bitmap image data
                byteArray = bitmapData.getPixels(new Rectangle(0, 0, bitmapData.width, bitmapData.height));
            }

            //trace ("encode to png. time=" + (getTimer()-time));
            //time = getTimer();

            if (!base64) {
                base64 = new Base64Encoder();
            }

            base64.encodeBytes(byteArray);
            //trace(base64.toString());

            var results:String = base64.toString();
            //trace ("encode to base 64. time=" + (getTimer()-time));

            base64BitmapCache[target] = results;

            return results;
        }

        public var base64BitmapCache:Dictionary = new Dictionary(true)
    }