MMENCODE(1L)                                         MMENCODE(1L)



NNAAMMEE
       mmencode  -  Translate  to and from mail-oriented encoding
       formats

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       mmmmeennccooddee [ --uubbqq ] [ --oo outputfile ] [ inputfile ]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       The _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e program simply converts a  byte  stream  into
       (or  out  of)  one  of  the standard mail encoding formats
       defined by MIME, the proposed standard for internet multi-
       media mail formats.  Such an encoding is necessary because
       binary data cannot be sent through the mail.   The  encod-
       ings  understood  by _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e are preferable to the use of
       the _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e(1) and _u_u_d_e_c_o_d_e(1) programs, for use in mail,
       in  several respects that were important to the authors of
       MIME.

       By default, _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e reads standard  input,  and  sends  a
       ``base64''  encoded  version  of the _i_n_p_u_t_f_i_l_e to standard
       output.  If no _i_n_p_u_t_f_i_l_e is specified, then  the  standard
       input is processed.

       The following options are available.

       --bb     Tells   _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e  to  process  ``base64''  encoding
              (which is the default).

       --qq     Tells  _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e  to  process   ``quoted-printable''
              encoding instead of ``base64''.

       --uu     Tells  _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e  to  decode  the input, rather than
              encode it.

       --oo     Output will be sent to _o_u_t_p_u_t_f_i_l_e  instead  of  the
              standard output.

RRAATTIIOONNAALLEE
       _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e  is intended to be a replacement for _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e for
       mail and news use.  The reason is simple: _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e doesn't
       work  very well in a number of circumstances and ways.  In
       particular, uuencode uses characters that don't  translate
       well  across  all  mail  gateways  (particularly ASCII <->
       EBCDIC gateways).  Also, _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e is not standard -- there
       are  several variants floating around, encoding and decod-
       ing things in different and  incompatible  ways,  with  no
       ``standard'' on which to base an implementation.  Finally,
       _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e does not generally work well in a pipe,  although
       some  variants  have  been  modified  to  do so.  _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e
       implements the encodings which were defined  for  MIME  as
       _u_u_e_n_c_o_d_e  replacements,  and  should  be considerably more
       robust for email use.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       metamail(1), uuencode(1), uudecode(1)

BBUUGGSS
       This program is derived from the _m_m_e_n_c_o_d_e provided in  the
       _m_e_t_a_m_a_i_l package.  That package also links this program to
       the name _m_i_m_e_n_c_o_d_e.  The --pp option, which is  provided  in
       the _m_e_t_a_m_a_i_l implementation, is accepted as a noop.

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT
       Copyright  (c)  1991  Bell  Communications  Research, Inc.
       (Bellcore)

       Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this mate-
       rial  for  any  purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
       provided that the above copyright notice and this  permis-
       sion  notice  appear  in  all copies, and that the name of
       Bellcore not be used in advertising or publicity  pertain-
       ing  to  this material without the specific, prior written
       permission of an authorized  representative  of  Bellcore.
       BELLCORE  MAKES  NO  REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR
       SUITABILITY OF THIS MATERIAL FOR ANY PURPOSE.  IT IS  PRO-
       VIDED  "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES.

AAUUTTHHOORR
       Nathaniel S. Borenstein



USENET Community Trust   Elm Version 2.5             MMENCODE(1L)
