4.3BSD-UWisc/man/cat5/uuencode.5

UUENCODE(5)         UNIX Programmer's Manual          UUENCODE(5)



NAME
     uuencode - format of an encoded uuencode file

DESCRIPTION
     Files output by _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e(_1_C) consist of a header line, fol-
     lowed by a number of body lines, and a trailer line.
     _U_u_d_e_c_o_d_e(_1_C) will ignore any lines preceding the header or
     following the trailer.  Lines preceding a header must not,
     of course, look like a header.

     The header line is distinguished by having the first 6 char-
     acters "begin ".  The word _b_e_g_i_n is followed by a mode (in
     octal), and a string which names the remote file.  A space
     separates the three items in the header line.

     The body consists of a number of lines, each at most 62
     characters long (including the trailing newline).  These
     consist of a character count, followed by encoded charac-
     ters, followed by a newline.  The character count is a sin-
     gle printing character, and represents an integer, the
     number of bytes the rest of the line represents.  Such
     integers are always in the range from 0 to 63 and can be
     determined by subtracting the character space (octal 40)
     from the character.

     Groups of 3 bytes are stored in 4 characters, 6 bits per
     character.  All are offset by a space to make the characters
     printing.  The last line may be shorter than the normal 45
     bytes.  If the size is not a multiple of 3, this fact can be
     determined by the value of the count on the last line.
     Extra garbage will be included to make the character count a
     multiple of 4.  The body is terminated by a line with a
     count of zero.  This line consists of one ASCII space.

     The trailer line consists of "end" on a line by itself.

SEE ALSO
     uuencode(1C), uudecode(1C), uusend(1C), uucp(1C), mail(1)

















Printed 12/27/86          May 15, 1985                          1