MIMENCODE(1)

NAME
       mimencode  -  Translate to and from mail-oriented encoding
       formats

       (Same program also installed as "mmencode".)

SYNOPSIS
       mimencode[-u] [-b] [-q] [-p] [file name] [-o outputfile]

DESCRIPTION
       The mimencode 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 mimencode are preferable to the use of
       the uuencode/uudecode programs, for use in mail,  in  sev-
       eral  respects that were important to the authors of MIME.

       By default, mimencode reads standard input,  and  sends  a
       "base64"  encoded version of the input to standard output.

       The (really not necessary) "-b" option tells mimencode  to
       use the "base64" encoding.

       The  "-q" option tells mimencode to use the "quoted-print-
       able" encoding instead of base64.

       The "-u" option tells mimencode  to  decode  the  standard
       input rather than encode it.

       The  "-p" option tells mimencode to translate decoded CRLF
       sequences into the local newline convention during  decod-
       ing and to do the reverse during encoding.  This option is
       only meaningful when  -b (base64 encoding) is in effect.

       If a file name argument is given, input is read from  that
       file rather than from standard input.

       The  "-o"  option,  which must be followed by a file name,
       sends output to the named file  rather  than  to  standard
       output.

RATIONALE
       Mimencode is intended to be a replacement for uuencode for
       mail and  news  use.   The  reason  is  simple:   uuencode
       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, uuencode is  not  stan-
       dard -- there are several variants floating around, encod-
       ing and decoding  things  in  different  and  incompatible
       ways,  with  no "standard" on which to base an implementa-
       tion.  Finally, uuencode does not generally work well in a

       pipe,  although some variants have been modified to do so.
       Mimencode implements the encodings which were defined  for
       MIME  as uuencode replacements, and should be considerably
       more robust for email use.

SEE ALSO
       metamail(1) mailto(1) 

BUGS
       This program was  originally  distributed  as  "mmencode".
       That name turns out to conflict with a program of the same
       name that is part of the  Slate  software  from  BBN,  but
       totally  changing the name to mimencode would create other
       problems (notably with portability to  systems  where  the
       left half of file names is limited to 8 characters).  Cur-
       rently, it is being  distributed  with  links  under  BOTH
       names.   The  programs  in  the distribution that call the
       program all call it as "mimencode", so the "mmencode" ver-
       sion  may  be  deleted at sites where it causes a problem.
       (The source files are still named "mmencode"  rather  than
       "mimencode".)

COPYRIGHT
       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.

AUTHOR
       Nathaniel S. Borenstein