uuencode.1 (2010 09)

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uuencode(1) uuencode(1)
NAME
uuencode, uudecode - encode/decode a binary file for transmission by mailer
SYNOPSIS
uuencode [-m][source_file ] remotedest
uudecode [-o outfile][encoded_file ]
DESCRIPTION
uuencode and uudecode can be used to send a binary file to another machine by means of such ser-
vices as elm, mailx,or
uucp (see elm(1), mailx (1), and uucp(1)).
uuencode takes the named source file (default standard input) and produces an encoded version on the
standard output. The encoding uses only printing ASCII characters, includes the original mode of the
input file, and preserves the value of the remotedest argument which is the intended name of the file
when it is restored later on the remote system.
uudecode reads an encoded file (the encoded_file argument), ignores any leading and trailing lines
added by mailers, and recreates the original file with the specified mode and name.
The encoded file is an ordinary ASCII text file and can be edited with any text editor to change the mode
or remote name.
Options and Arguments
uuencode recognizes the following command-line option:
-m Encode the input file using the MIME Base64 algorithm. If -m is not specified, the
historical algorithm encodes the input.
uudecode recognizes the following command-line option and argument:
-o outfile Specifies the pathname of the file that holds the decoded output. This file is not the
same as remotedest which was specified at the time of encoding the file.
uuencode Base64 Algorithm
The encoded file is a text file, encoded in the character set of the current locale (the portable character
set). The file begins with the line:
begin-base64 mode remotedest
and ends with the line:
====\n
Both of the above lines have no preceding or trailing blank characters.
The encoding process represents each 24-bit group of input bits as output strings of four encoded charac-
ters. Proceeding from left to right, each 24-bit input group is formed by concatenating three 8-bit input
groups. Each such 24-bit input group is then treated as four concatenated 6-bit groups, each of which
would be translated into a single digit in the Base64 alphabet shown in the following table.
Value Encoding Value Encoding Value Encoding Value Encoding
0 A 17 R 34 i 51 z
1 B 18 S 35 j 52 0
2 C 19 T 36 k 53 1
3 D 20 U 37 l 54 2
4 E 21 V 38 m 55 3
5 F 22 W 39 n 56 4
6 G 23 X 40 o 57 5
7 H 24 Y 41 p 58 6
8 I 25 Z 42 q 59 7
9 J 26 a 43 r 60 8
10 K 27 b 44 s 61 9
11 L 28 c 45 t 62 +
12 M 29 d 46 u 63 /
HP-UX 11i Version 3: September 2010 − 1 − Hewlett-Packard Company 1