UUENCODE(5) - File Formats Manual #
UUENCODE(5) - File Formats Manual
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. 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 “beginĀ ” (note the trailing space). 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 characters, 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 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 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
` (opening single quote) character.
The trailer line consists of “end” on a line by itself.
SEE ALSO #
mail(1), uudecode(1), uuencode(1)
HISTORY #
The uuencode file format appeared in 4.0BSD.
OpenBSD 7.5 - May 31, 2007