code: public static byte[] decodeBytes(String str)
      {
          byte[] ret = null;
  
          try
          {
              // De-obfuscate the string
              if(str != null)
                  ret = Base64.decodeBase64(str.getBytes());
          }
          catch(NoClassDefFoundError e)
          {
              ret = str.getBytes();
              System.out.println("WARNING: unable to decode: "
                  +e.getClass().getName()+": "+e.getMessage());
          }
  
          return ret;
      }
docs: Returns the given byte array after if it has been decoded.
  @param str The string to be decoded
  @return The decoded bytes