NAME

uuencode − format of an encoded uuencode file

DESCRIPTION

Files output by uuencode(1) consist of a header line followed by a number of body lines and a trailer line. uudecode (see uuencode (1)) will ignore any lines preceding the header or following the trailer.  Lines preceding a header must not look like a header. 

The header line is distinguished by having the first six characters be begin  (begin followed by a space).  The word begin is followed by a mode (in octal) and a string that names the remote file.  A space separates the three items in the header line. 

The body consists of a number of lines, each 62 characters long at most (including the trailing new-line character).  These consist of a character count, followed by encoded characters, followed by a new-line character.  The character count is a single printing character; it 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 characters 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

mail(1), uuencode(1), uucp(1C) in the INTERACTIVE UNIX System User’s/System Administrator’s Reference Manual.
uusend(1) in the UNIX User’s Manual Reference Guide.

\*U  —  Version 1.0