mpack/munpack version 1.6 for unix Mpack and munpack are utilities for encoding and decoding (respectively) binary files in MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) format mail messages. For compatibility with older forms of transferring binary files, the munpack program can also decode messages in split-uuencoded format. The Macintosh version can also decode messages in split-BinHex format. The canonical FTP site for this software is ftp.andrew.cmu.edu:pub/mpack/ Binaries are no longer provided. The pc, os2, amiga and archimedes ports have been removed. The mac version probably doesn't compile anymore, but is still included (MacOS X users can use the unix version...) This MIME implementation is intended to be as simple and portable as possible. For a slightly more sophisticated MIME implementation, see the program MetaMail, available via anonymous FTP to thumper.bellcore.com, in directory pub/nsb Decoding MIME messages: First, you have to compile the munpack program. See the instructions in the section "Compilation" below. If, after reading the instructions, you are still unsure as to how to compile munpack, please try to find someone locally to help you. To decode a MIME message, first save it to a text file. If possible, save it with all headers included. Munpack can decode some MIME files when the headers are missing or incomplete, other files it cannot decode without having the information in the headers. In general, messages which have a statement at the beginning that they are in MIME format can be decoded without the headers. Messages which have been split into multiple parts generally require all headers in order to be reassembled and decoded. Some LAN-based mail systems and some mail providers (including America Online, as of the writing of this document) place the mail headers at the bottom of the message, instead of at the top of the message. If you are having problems decoding a MIME message on such a system, you need to convert the mail back into the standard format by removing the system's nonstandard headers and moving the standard Internet headers to the top of the message (separated from the message body with a blank line). There must be exactly one message per file. Munpack cannot deal with multiple messages in a single file, to decode things correctly it must know when one message ends and the next one begins. To decode a message, run the command: munpack file where "file" is the name of the file containing the message. More than one filename may be specified, munpack will try to decode the message in each file. For more information on ways to run munpack, see the section "Using munpack" below. Reporting bugs: Bugs and comments should be reported to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu. When reporting bugs or other problems, please include the following information: * The version number of Mpack * The platform (Unix, PC, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, Archimedes) * The EXACT output of any unsuccessful attempts. * If having a problem decoding, the first couple of lines of the input file. Compilation: Mpack uses autoconf and automake on unix. refer to INSTALL for more information Using mpack: Mpack is used to encode a file into one or more MIME format messages. The program is invoked with: mpack [options] -o outputfile file or mpack [options] file address... or mpack [options] -n newsgroups file Where "[options]" is one or more optional switches described below. "-o outputfile" is also described below. "file" is the name of the file to encode, "address..." is one or more e-mail address to mail the resulting messages to and "newsgroups" is a comma-separated list of newsgroups to post the resulting messages to. The possible options are: -s subject Set the Subject header field to Subject. By default, mpack will prompt for the contents of the subject header. -d descriptionfile Include the contents of the file descriptionfile in an introductory section at the beginning of the first generated message. -m maxsize Split the message (if necessary) into partial messages, each not exceeding maxsize characters. The default limit is the value of the SPLITSIZE environment variable, or no limit if the environment variable does not exist. Specifying a maxsize of 0 means there is no limit to the size of the generated message. -c content-type Label the included file as being of MIME type content-type, which must be a subtype of application, audio, image, or video. If this switch is not given, mpack examines the file to determine its type. -o outputfile Write the generated message to the file outputfile. If the message has to be split, the partial messages will instead be written to the files outputfile.01, outputfile.02, etc. The environment variables which control mpack's behavior are: SPLITSIZE Default value of the -m switch. Default "0". TMPDIR Directory to store temporary files. Default "/tmp". Using munpack: Munpack is used to decode one or more messages in MIME or split-uuencoded format and extract the embedded files. The program is invoked with: munpack [options] filename... which reads the messages in the files "filename...". Munpack may also be invoked with just: munpack [options] which reads a message from the standard input. If the message suggests a file name to use for the imbedded part, that name is cleaned of potential problem characters and used for the output file. If the suggested filename includes subdirectories, they will be created as necessary. If the message does not suggest a file name, the names "part1", "part2", etc are used in sequence. If the imbedded part was preceded with textual information, that information is also written to a file. The file is named the same as the imbedded part, with any filename extension replaced with ".desc" The possible options are: -f Forces the overwriting of existing files. If a message suggests a file name of an existing file, the file will be overwritten. Without this flag, munpack appends ".1", ".2", etc to find a nonexistent file. -t Also unpack the text parts of multipart messages to files. By default, text parts that do not have a filename parameter do not get unpacked. -q Be quiet--suppress messages about saving partial messages. -C directory Change the current directory to "directory" before reading any files. This is useful when invoking munpack from a mail or news reader. The environment variables which control munpack's behavior are: TMPDIR Root of directory to store partial messages awaiting reassembly. Default is "/usr/tmp". Partial messages are stored in subdirectories of $TMPDIR/m-prts-$USER/ Acknowledgements: Written by John G. Myers, jgm+@cmu.edu The mac version was written by Christopher J. Newman, chrisn+@cmu.edu Send all bug reports to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu Thanks to Nathaniel Borenstein for testing early versions of mpack and for making many helpful suggestions. PGP signature: The mpack 1.6 distribution is not pgp signed. Legalese: (C) Copyright 1993,1994 by Carnegie Mellon University All Rights Reserved. Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of Carnegie Mellon University not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. Carnegie Mellon University makes no representations about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. Portions of this software are derived from code written by Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore) and by RSA Data Security, Inc. and bear similar copyrights and disclaimers of warranty.