Decode a binary file.
Syntax
uudecode [-cimprs] [file ...]
b64decode [-cimprs] [file ...]
uudecode [-i] -o output_file [file]
b64decode [-i] -o output_file [file]
Key:
-c Decode more than one uuencode'd file from file if possible.
-i Do not overwrite files.
-m When used with the -r flag, decode Base64 input instead of traditional uuencode input.
Without -r it has no effect.
-o output_file
Output to output_file instead of any pathname contained in the input data.
-p Decode file and write output to standard output.
-r Decode raw (or broken) input, which is missing the initial and possibly the final framing lines.
The input is assumed to be in the traditional uuencode encoding, but if the -m flag is used, or if
the utility is invoked as b64decode, then the input is assumed to be in Base64 format.
-s Do not strip output pathname to base filename. By default
uudecode deletes any prefix ending with the last slash '/' for
security purpose.
The uuencode and uudecode utilities are used to transmit binary files over transmission mediums that do not support other than simple ASCII data.
The b64decode utility is synonymous with uudecode with the -m flag specified.
The uudecode utility transforms uuencoded files (or by default, the standard input) into the original form. The resulting file is named either name or (depending on options passed to uudecode) output_file and will have the mode of the original file except that setuid and execute bits are not retained. The uudecode utility ignores any leading and trailing lines.
The following example unpack all uuencode'd files from your mailbox into your current working directory:
uudecode -c < $MAIL
The following example extract a compress'ed tar archive from your mailbox:
uudecode -o /dev/stdout < $MAIL | zcat | tar xfv -
“I'm constantly intimidated by Shakespeare's work. Trying to decipher what he's saying and holding on to that thought - not just as an actor, but as a human being - is a rigour” ~ Zoe Wanamaker
Local man page: uudecode - Command line help page on your local machine.
uuencode - Encode a binary file.
base64 - base64 encoder/decoder.
basename - return filename or directory portion of pathname.
gzip - Compress or decompress files.
uucp - Unix to Unix copy.
