How to upload binary file to webservice?

[codefinger]

I am trying to write a webservice that will be called from a VB6 program using something like:

xSendParms = "iBinStream=" & iBinStream & "&"
xSendParms = xSendParms & "iDirectory=" & iDirectory & "&"
xSendParms = xSendParms & "iName=" & iName & "&"
xSendParms = xSendParms & "iOverwrite=" & iOverwrite & "&"
xSendParms = xSendParms & "iOptions=" & iOptions

'>>> Call web service and pass its parameters
xXMLHTTP.send xSendParms

Among the items being passed is a binary file which was decoded into an XML string value.

Questions:

Is this approach the best and fastest way to pass a binary file to a web service? Or is there some way to pass an ado stream object instead?

Assuming XML decoded is the way to go, how do I reassemble the string value into a binary file once it arrives at the web service? I have been looking at various readers and writers, but so far I have been unable to find a
reader that can take a string value as a parameter and return a file stream object.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.