NAME

uuencode,uudecode − encode/decode a binary file for transmission via mail

SYNOPSIS

uuencode [ source-file ] destination-file | mail sys1!sys2!...!decode
uudecode [ source-file ]

DESCRIPTION

Uuencode and uudecode are used to send a binary file via uucp (or other) mail.  This combination of commands can be used over indirect mail links even when uusend(1C) is not available.

Uuencode takes the named source-file (or standard input if no source-file is given) and produces an encoded version on the standard output, only printing ASCII characters.  The mode of the file and the destination-file are included so that the file can be recreated with the same mode and name on the remote system. 

Uudecode reads an encoded file, strips off any leading and trailing lines added by mailers, and recreates the original file with the specified mode and name. 

The intent is that all mail to the user “decode” should be filtered through the uudecode program.  This way the file is created automatically without human intervention.  This is possible on the uucp network by either using sendmail or by making rmail be a link to Mail instead of mail.  In each case, an alias must be created in a master file to get the automatic invocation of uudecode. 

If these facilities are not available, the file can be sent to a user on the remote machine who can uudecode it manually. 

The encode file has an ordinary text form and can be edited by any text editor to change the mode or remote name. 

SEE ALSO

uuencode(5), uusend(1C), uucp(1C), uux(1C), mail(1)

BUGS

The file is expanded by 35% (3 bytes become 4 plus control information) causing it to take longer to transmit. 

The user on the remote system who is invoking uudecode (often uucp) must have write permission on the specified file. 

Sun Release 3.0β  —  Last change: 13 March 1984