uuencode(1c)uuencode(1c)Name
uuencode, uudecode - encode/decode a binary file for transmission via
mail
Syntaxuuencode [file] remotedest | mail sys1!sys2!..!decode
uudecode [file]
Description
The and commands are used to send a binary file by uucp (or other)
mail. This combination can be used over indirect mail links even when
is not available.
The command takes the named source file (default standard input) and
produces an encoded version on the standard output. The encoding uses
only printing ASCII characters, and includes the mode of the file and
the remotedest for recreation on the remote system.
The command reads an encoded file, strips off any leading and trailing
lines added by mailers, and recreates the original file with the speci‐
fied mode and name.
The intent is that all mail to the user ``decode'' should be filtered
through the program. This way the file is created automatically with‐
out human intervention. This is possible on the uucp network by either
using or by making be a link to instead of In each case, an alias must
be created in a master file to get the automatic invocation of
If these facilities are not available, the file can be sent to a user
on the remote machine who can uudecode it manually.
The encode file has an ordinary text form and can be edited by any text
editor to change the mode or remote name.
Restrictions
The file is expanded by 35% (3 bytes become 4 plus control information)
causing it to take longer to transmit.
The user on the remote system who is invoking (often must have write
permission on the specified file.
See Alsomail(1), uucp(1c), uusend(1c), uux(1c), uuencode(5)uuencode(1c)
