NAME

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

SYNOPSIS

uuencode [ source-file ] destination-file | mail host! [ host! ...] decode

uudecode [ source-file ]

DESCRIPTION

uuencode and uudecode are used to send a binary file using uucp(1C) (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—displaying only ASCII characters.  The permission modes of source-file and the destination-file are included so that the file can be recreated with the same ownership and permissions 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 owner. 

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 requires that the mail system on the receiving host must support mail aliases that cause mail to particular users to be filtered through a program.  UNIX systems with sendmail support this; on Sun systems, the file /usr/lib/aliases has such an alias for the user decode. 

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

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

SEE ALSO

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

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 3.5  —  Last change: 21 July 1986