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ec6cf3b09d Ed H*0001 mpack/munpack version 1.6 for unix
0002
0003 Mpack and munpack are utilities for encoding and decoding
0004 (respectively) binary files in MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail
0005 Extensions) format mail messages. For compatibility with older forms
0006 of transferring binary files, the munpack program can also decode
0007 messages in split-uuencoded format. The Macintosh version can also
0008 decode messages in split-BinHex format.
0009
0010 The canonical FTP site for this software is ftp.andrew.cmu.edu:pub/mpack/
0011 Binaries are no longer provided. The pc, os2, amiga and archimedes ports
0012 have been removed. The mac version probably doesn't compile anymore, but
0013 is still included (MacOS X users can use the unix version...)
0014
0015 This MIME implementation is intended to be as simple and portable as
0016 possible. For a slightly more sophisticated MIME implementation, see
0017 the program MetaMail, available via anonymous FTP to
0018 thumper.bellcore.com, in directory pub/nsb
0019
0020
0021 Decoding MIME messages:
0022
0023 First, you have to compile the munpack program. See the instructions
0024 in the section "Compilation" below. If, after reading the
0025 instructions, you are still unsure as to how to compile munpack,
0026 please try to find someone locally to help you.
0027
0028 To decode a MIME message, first save it to a text file. If possible,
0029 save it with all headers included. Munpack can decode some MIME files
0030 when the headers are missing or incomplete, other files it cannot
0031 decode without having the information in the headers. In general,
0032 messages which have a statement at the beginning that they are in MIME
0033 format can be decoded without the headers. Messages which have been
0034 split into multiple parts generally require all headers in order to be
0035 reassembled and decoded.
0036
0037 Some LAN-based mail systems and some mail providers (including America
0038 Online, as of the writing of this document) place the mail headers at
0039 the bottom of the message, instead of at the top of the message. If
0040 you are having problems decoding a MIME message on such a system, you
0041 need to convert the mail back into the standard format by removing the
0042 system's nonstandard headers and moving the standard Internet headers
0043 to the top of the message (separated from the message body with a
0044 blank line).
0045
0046 There must be exactly one message per file. Munpack cannot deal with
0047 multiple messages in a single file, to decode things correctly it must
0048 know when one message ends and the next one begins.
0049
0050 To decode a message, run the command:
0051
0052 munpack file
0053
0054 where "file" is the name of the file containing the message. More than
0055 one filename may be specified, munpack will try to decode the message in
0056 each file. For more information on ways to run munpack, see the section
0057 "Using munpack" below.
0058
0059
0060 Reporting bugs:
0061
0062 Bugs and comments should be reported to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu.
0063 When reporting bugs or other problems, please include the following
0064 information:
0065
0066 * The version number of Mpack
0067 * The platform (Unix, PC, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, Archimedes)
0068 * The EXACT output of any unsuccessful attempts.
0069 * If having a problem decoding, the first couple of lines
0070 of the input file.
0071
0072
0073 Compilation:
0074
0075 Mpack uses autoconf and automake on unix.
0076 refer to INSTALL for more information
0077
0078 Using mpack:
0079
0080 Mpack is used to encode a file into one or more MIME format messages.
0081 The program is invoked with:
0082
0083 mpack [options] -o outputfile file
0084
0085 or
0086
0087 mpack [options] file address...
0088
0089 or
0090
0091 mpack [options] -n newsgroups file
0092
0093 Where "[options]" is one or more optional switches described below.
0094 "-o outputfile" is also described below. "file" is the name of the
0095 file to encode, "address..." is one or more e-mail address to mail the
0096 resulting messages to and "newsgroups" is a comma-separated list of
0097 newsgroups to post the resulting messages to.
0098
0099 The possible options are:
0100
0101 -s subject
0102 Set the Subject header field to Subject. By default,
0103 mpack will prompt for the contents of the subject
0104 header.
0105
0106 -d descriptionfile
0107 Include the contents of the file descriptionfile in an
0108 introductory section at the beginning of the first
0109 generated message.
0110
0111 -m maxsize
0112 Split the message (if necessary) into partial messages,
0113 each not exceeding maxsize characters. The default
0114 limit is the value of the SPLITSIZE environment
0115 variable, or no limit if the environment variable
0116 does not exist. Specifying a maxsize of 0 means there
0117 is no limit to the size of the generated message.
0118
0119 -c content-type
0120 Label the included file as being of MIME type
0121 content-type, which must be a subtype of application,
0122 audio, image, or video. If this switch is not given,
0123 mpack examines the file to determine its type.
0124
0125 -o outputfile
0126 Write the generated message to the file outputfile. If
0127 the message has to be split, the partial messages will
0128 instead be written to the files outputfile.01,
0129 outputfile.02, etc.
0130
0131 The environment variables which control mpack's behavior are:
0132
0133 SPLITSIZE
0134 Default value of the -m switch. Default "0".
0135
0136 TMPDIR
0137 Directory to store temporary files. Default "/tmp".
0138
0139
0140 Using munpack:
0141
0142 Munpack is used to decode one or more messages in MIME or
0143 split-uuencoded format and extract the embedded files. The program is
0144 invoked with:
0145
0146 munpack [options] filename...
0147
0148 which reads the messages in the files "filename...". Munpack may also
0149 be invoked with just:
0150
0151 munpack [options]
0152
0153 which reads a message from the standard input.
0154
0155 If the message suggests a file name to use for the imbedded part, that
0156 name is cleaned of potential problem characters and used for the
0157 output file. If the suggested filename includes subdirectories, they
0158 will be created as necessary. If the message does not suggest a file
0159 name, the names "part1", "part2", etc are used in sequence.
0160
0161 If the imbedded part was preceded with textual information, that
0162 information is also written to a file. The file is named the same as
0163 the imbedded part, with any filename extension replaced with
0164 ".desc"
0165
0166 The possible options are:
0167
0168 -f
0169 Forces the overwriting of existing files. If a message
0170 suggests a file name of an existing file, the file will be
0171 overwritten. Without this flag, munpack appends ".1", ".2",
0172 etc to find a nonexistent file.
0173
0174 -t
0175 Also unpack the text parts of multipart messages to files.
0176 By default, text parts that do not have a filename parameter
0177 do not get unpacked.
0178
0179 -q
0180 Be quiet--suppress messages about saving partial messages.
0181
0182 -C directory
0183 Change the current directory to "directory" before reading
0184 any files. This is useful when invoking munpack
0185 from a mail or news reader.
0186
0187 The environment variables which control munpack's behavior are:
0188
0189 TMPDIR
0190 Root of directory to store partial messages awaiting
e768bd1221 Jean*0191 reassembly. Default is "/var/tmp". Partial messages
ec6cf3b09d Ed H*0192 are stored in subdirectories of $TMPDIR/m-prts-$USER/
0193
0194
0195 Acknowledgements:
0196
0197 Written by John G. Myers, jgm+@cmu.edu
0198
0199 The mac version was written by Christopher J. Newman, chrisn+@cmu.edu
0200
0201 Send all bug reports to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu
0202
0203 Thanks to Nathaniel Borenstein for testing early versions of mpack and
0204 for making many helpful suggestions.
0205
0206
0207 PGP signature:
0208
0209 The mpack 1.6 distribution is not pgp signed.
0210
0211 Legalese:
0212
0213 (C) Copyright 1993,1994 by Carnegie Mellon University
0214 All Rights Reserved.
0215
0216 Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software
0217 and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
0218 provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that
0219 both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
0220 supporting documentation, and that the name of Carnegie Mellon
0221 University not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to
0222 distribution of the software without specific, written prior
0223 permission. Carnegie Mellon University makes no representations about
0224 the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as
0225 is" without express or implied warranty.
0226
0227 CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO
0228 THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
0229 AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE
0230 FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
0231 WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN
0232 AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
0233 OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS
0234 SOFTWARE.
0235
0236 Portions of this software are derived from code written by Bell
0237 Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore) and by RSA Data Security,
0238 Inc. and bear similar copyrights and disclaimers of warranty.
0239
