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uuencode(1)		    General Commands Manual		   uuencode(1)



NAME
       uuencode, uudecode - encode a binary file, or decode its representation

SYNOPSIS
       uuencode [-m] [ file ] name

       uudecode [-o outfile] [ file ]...

DESCRIPTION
       Uuencode	 and uudecode are used to transmit binary files over transmis-
       sion mediums that do not support other than simple ASCII data.

       Uuencode reads file (or by default the standard input)  and  writes  an
       encoded	version to the standard output.	 The encoding uses only print-
       ing ASCII characters and includes the mode of the file and the  operand
       name  for  use  by uudecode.  If name is /dev/stdout the result will be
       written to standard output.  By default the standard UU encoding format
       will  be	 used.	 If  the option -m is given on the command line base64
       encoding is used instead.

       Note: uuencode uses buffered input and assumes  that  it	 is  not  hand
       typed  from  a  tty.  The consequence is that at a tty, you may need to
       hit Ctl-D several times to terminate input.

       Uudecode transforms uuencoded files (or by default, the standard input)
       into  the  original form.  The resulting file is named name (or outfile
       if the -o option is given) and will have the mode of the original  file
       except  that  setuid  and execute bits are not retained.	 If outfile or
       name is /dev/stdout the result will  be	written	 to  standard  output.
       Uudecode ignores any leading and trailing lines.	 The program can auto-
       matically decide which of the two supported encoding schemes are used.

EXAMPLES
       The following example packages up a source tree, compresses  it,	 uuen-
       codes  it  and  mails it to a user on another system.  When uudecode is
       run on the target system, the file ``src_tree.tar.Z'' will  be  created
       which may then be uncompressed and extracted into the original tree.

	      tar  cf  -  src_tree | compress | uuencode src_tree.tar.Z | mail
	      sys1!sys2!user

SEE ALSO
       compress(1), mail(1), uucp(1), uuencode(5)

STANDARDS
       This implementation is compliant with P1003.2b/D11.

BUGS
       If more than one file is given to uudecode and the -o option  is	 given
       or  more	 than one name in the encoded files are the same the result is
       probably not what is expected.

       The encoded form of the file is expanded by 37% for UU encoding and  by
       35% for base64 encoding (3 bytes become 4 plus control information).

REPORTING BUGS
       Report  bugs to <bug-gnu-utils@gnu.org>.	 Please put sharutils or uuen-
       code in the subject line.  It helps to spot the message.

HISTORY
       The uuencode command appeared in BSD 4.0.



								   uuencode(1)