uuencode

NAME

       uuencode - format of an encoded uuencode file

DESCRIPTION

       Files output by uuencode(1) consist of a header line, fol-
       lowed by a number of body lines, and a trailer line.   The
       uudecode(1)  command  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
       characters begin  The word begin 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
       single 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 charac-
       ters printing.  The last line may be shorter than the nor-
       mal  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(1), uudecode(1), uusend(1), uucp(1), mail(1)

HISTORY

       The uuencode file format appeared in BSD 4.0 .