1UUENCODE(5) File Formats Manual UUENCODE(5)
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6 uuencode - format of an encoded uuencode file
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9 Files output by uuencode(1) consist of a header line, followed by a
10 number of body lines, and a trailer line. The uudecode(1) command will
11 ignore any lines preceding the header or following the trailer. Lines
12 preceding a header must not, of course, look like a header.
13 The header line is distinguished by having the first 6 characters
15 begin The word begin is followed by a mode (in octal), and a string
16 which names the remote file. A space separates the three items in the
17 header line.
18 The body consists of a number of lines, each at most 62 characters long
20 (including the trailing newline). These consist of a character count,
21 followed by encoded characters, followed by a newline. The character
22 count is a single printing character, and represents an integer, the
23 number of bytes the rest of the line represents. Such integers are
24 always in the range from 0 to 63 and can be determined by subtracting
25 the character space (octal 40) from the character.
26 Groups of 3 bytes are stored in 4 characters, 6 bits per character.
28 All are offset by a space to make the characters printing. The last
29 line may be shorter than the normal 45 bytes. If the size is not a
30 multiple of 3, this fact can be determined by the value of the count on
31 the last line. Extra garbage will be included to make the character
32 count a multiple of 4. The body is terminated by a line with a count
33 of zero. This line consists of one ASCII space.
34 The trailer line consists of end on a line by itself.
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38 uuencode(1), uudecode(1), uusend(1), uucp(1), mail(1)
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41 The uuencode file format appeared in BSD 4.0 .
42 UUENCODE(5)