README.mac
1 mpack/munpack version 1.5 for mac
2
3Mpack and munpack are utilities for encoding and decoding
4(respectively) binary files in MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail
5Extensions) format mail messages. For compatibility with older forms
6of transferring binary files, the munpack program can also decode
7messages in split-uuencoded format. The Macintosh version can also
8decode messages in split-BinHex format.
9
10The canonical FTP site for this software is ftp.andrew.cmu.edu:pub/mpack/
11Binaries are no longer provided. The pc, os2, amiga and archimedes ports
12have been removed. The mac version probably doesn't compile anymore, but
13is still included (MacOS X users can use the unix version...)
14
15This MIME implementation is intended to be as simple and portable as
16possible. For a slightly more sophisticated MIME implementation, see
17the program MetaMail, available via anonymous FTP to
18thumper.bellcore.com, in directory pub/nsb
19
20
21Decoding MIME messages:
22
23To decode a MIME message, first save it to a text file. If possible,
24save it with all headers included. Mpack can decode some MIME files
25when the headers are missing or incomplete, other files it cannot
26decode without having the information in the headers. In general,
27messages which have a statement at the beginning that they are in MIME
28format can be decoded without the headers. Messages which have been
29split into multiple parts generally require all headers in order to be
30reassembled and decoded.
31
32Some LAN-based mail systems and some mail providers (including America
33Online, as of the writing of this document) place the mail headers at
34the bottom of the message, instead of at the top of the message. If
35you are having problems decoding a MIME message on such a system, you
36need to convert the mail back into the standard format by removing the
37system's nonstandard headers and moving the standard Internet headers
38to the top of the message (separated from the message body with a
39blank line).
40
41There must be exactly one message per file. Mpack cannot deal with
42multiple messages in a single file, to decode things correctly it must
43know when one message ends and the next one begins.
44
45The Macintosh version of mpack/munpack is a single standalone
46application. A text file may be decoded either by drag & drop, or by
47choosing the "Decode Files..." item from the application's File menu.
48Non-text files may be encoded either by drag & drop, or by choosing
49the "Encode Files..." item from the application's File menu.
50
51The Macintosh version of mpack/munpack supports the new MacMIME
52standard (RFC 1740). This allows cross-platform transport of
53Macintosh files to any MIME-capable machine, and also preserves
54Macintosh specific file attributes between two Macintoshes. Mpack
55will use MacMIME for any unrecognized Macintosh file, and regular MIME
56for standard MIME types.
57
58For more details and descriptions of the preferences, see the "Help
59Using Mpack..." menu item in mpack which can be found under the help
60menu in systems 7 and above, and under the apple menu in older
61systems.
62
63Reporting bugs:
64
65Bugs and comments should be reported to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu.
66When reporting bugs or other problems, please include the following
67information:
68
69 * The version number of Mpack
70 * The platform (Unix, PC, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, Archimedes)
71 * The EXACT output of any unsuccessful attempts.
72 * If having a problem decoding, the first couple of lines
73 of the input file.
74
75
76Compilation:
77
78Mpack was compiled with THINK C 6.0 with the 4-byte int option turned
79on (and the ANSI-small library compiled with the 4-byte int option)
80and prototype enforcement turned off. Included with this distribution
81should be the files "macproj.hqx" which is a BinHex4 version of the
82THINK C 6.0 project file, and "macrsrc.hqx" which is a BinHex4 version
83of the resources file.
84
85Mpack checks for the existence of "Internet Config", and if it is
86available, mpack uses it to translate MIME types to and from Macintosh
87type/creator codes. Included is the file "macICglue.hqx" which is a
88BinHex4 version of Internet Config's MPW object file library. This
89needs to be linked with the application.
90
91Using mpack:
92
93See the "Help Using Mpack..." menu item in the application.
94
95
96Acknowledgements:
97
98Written by John G. Myers, jgm+@cmu.edu
99
100The mac version was written by Christopher J. Newman, chrisn+@cmu.edu
101
102Send all bug reports to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu
103
104Thanks to Nathaniel Borenstein for testing early versions of mpack and
105for making many helpful suggestions.
106
107
108PGP signature:
109
110The mpack 1.6 distribution is not pgp signed.
111
112Legalese:
113
114(C) Copyright 1993,1994 by Carnegie Mellon University
115All Rights Reserved.
116
117Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software
118and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
119provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that
120both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
121supporting documentation, and that the name of Carnegie Mellon
122University not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to
123distribution of the software without specific, written prior
124permission. Carnegie Mellon University makes no representations about
125the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as
126is" without express or implied warranty.
127
128CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO
129THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
130AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE
131FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
132WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN
133AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
134OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS
135SOFTWARE.
136
137Portions of this software are derived from code written by Bell
138Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore) and by RSA Data Security,
139Inc. and bear similar copyrights and disclaimers of warranty.
140
141
README.unix
1 mpack/munpack version 1.6 for unix
2
3Mpack and munpack are utilities for encoding and decoding
4(respectively) binary files in MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail
5Extensions) format mail messages. For compatibility with older forms
6of transferring binary files, the munpack program can also decode
7messages in split-uuencoded format. The Macintosh version can also
8decode messages in split-BinHex format.
9
10The canonical FTP site for this software is ftp.andrew.cmu.edu:pub/mpack/
11Binaries are no longer provided. The pc, os2, amiga and archimedes ports
12have been removed. The mac version probably doesn't compile anymore, but
13is still included (MacOS X users can use the unix version...)
14
15This MIME implementation is intended to be as simple and portable as
16possible. For a slightly more sophisticated MIME implementation, see
17the program MetaMail, available via anonymous FTP to
18thumper.bellcore.com, in directory pub/nsb
19
20
21Decoding MIME messages:
22
23First, you have to compile the munpack program. See the instructions
24in the section "Compilation" below. If, after reading the
25instructions, you are still unsure as to how to compile munpack,
26please try to find someone locally to help you.
27
28To decode a MIME message, first save it to a text file. If possible,
29save it with all headers included. Munpack can decode some MIME files
30when the headers are missing or incomplete, other files it cannot
31decode without having the information in the headers. In general,
32messages which have a statement at the beginning that they are in MIME
33format can be decoded without the headers. Messages which have been
34split into multiple parts generally require all headers in order to be
35reassembled and decoded.
36
37Some LAN-based mail systems and some mail providers (including America
38Online, as of the writing of this document) place the mail headers at
39the bottom of the message, instead of at the top of the message. If
40you are having problems decoding a MIME message on such a system, you
41need to convert the mail back into the standard format by removing the
42system's nonstandard headers and moving the standard Internet headers
43to the top of the message (separated from the message body with a
44blank line).
45
46There must be exactly one message per file. Munpack cannot deal with
47multiple messages in a single file, to decode things correctly it must
48know when one message ends and the next one begins.
49
50To decode a message, run the command:
51
52 munpack file
53
54where "file" is the name of the file containing the message. More than
55one filename may be specified, munpack will try to decode the message in
56each file. For more information on ways to run munpack, see the section
57"Using munpack" below.
58
59
60Reporting bugs:
61
62Bugs and comments should be reported to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu.
63When reporting bugs or other problems, please include the following
64information:
65
66 * The version number of Mpack
67 * The platform (Unix, PC, OS/2, Mac, Amiga, Archimedes)
68 * The EXACT output of any unsuccessful attempts.
69 * If having a problem decoding, the first couple of lines
70 of the input file.
71
72
73Compilation:
74
75Mpack uses autoconf and automake on unix.
76refer to INSTALL for more information
77
78Using mpack:
79
80Mpack is used to encode a file into one or more MIME format messages.
81The program is invoked with:
82
83 mpack [options] -o outputfile file
84
85or
86
87 mpack [options] file address...
88
89or
90
91 mpack [options] -n newsgroups file
92
93Where "[options]" is one or more optional switches described below.
94"-o outputfile" is also described below. "file" is the name of the
95file to encode, "address..." is one or more e-mail address to mail the
96resulting messages to and "newsgroups" is a comma-separated list of
97newsgroups to post the resulting messages to.
98
99The possible options are:
100
101 -s subject
102 Set the Subject header field to Subject. By default,
103 mpack will prompt for the contents of the subject
104 header.
105
106 -d descriptionfile
107 Include the contents of the file descriptionfile in an
108 introductory section at the beginning of the first
109 generated message.
110
111 -m maxsize
112 Split the message (if necessary) into partial messages,
113 each not exceeding maxsize characters. The default
114 limit is the value of the SPLITSIZE environment
115 variable, or no limit if the environment variable
116 does not exist. Specifying a maxsize of 0 means there
117 is no limit to the size of the generated message.
118
119 -c content-type
120 Label the included file as being of MIME type
121 content-type, which must be a subtype of application,
122 audio, image, or video. If this switch is not given,
123 mpack examines the file to determine its type.
124
125 -o outputfile
126 Write the generated message to the file outputfile. If
127 the message has to be split, the partial messages will
128 instead be written to the files outputfile.01,
129 outputfile.02, etc.
130
131The environment variables which control mpack's behavior are:
132
133 SPLITSIZE
134 Default value of the -m switch. Default "0".
135
136 TMPDIR
137 Directory to store temporary files. Default "/tmp".
138
139
140Using munpack:
141
142Munpack is used to decode one or more messages in MIME or
143split-uuencoded format and extract the embedded files. The program is
144invoked with:
145
146 munpack [options] filename...
147
148which reads the messages in the files "filename...". Munpack may also
149be invoked with just:
150
151 munpack [options]
152
153which reads a message from the standard input.
154
155If the message suggests a file name to use for the imbedded part, that
156name is cleaned of potential problem characters and used for the
157output file. If the suggested filename includes subdirectories, they
158will be created as necessary. If the message does not suggest a file
159name, the names "part1", "part2", etc are used in sequence.
160
161If the imbedded part was preceded with textual information, that
162information is also written to a file. The file is named the same as
163the imbedded part, with any filename extension replaced with
164".desc"
165
166The possible options are:
167
168 -f
169 Forces the overwriting of existing files. If a message
170 suggests a file name of an existing file, the file will be
171 overwritten. Without this flag, munpack appends ".1", ".2",
172 etc to find a nonexistent file.
173
174 -t
175 Also unpack the text parts of multipart messages to files.
176 By default, text parts that do not have a filename parameter
177 do not get unpacked.
178
179 -q
180 Be quiet--suppress messages about saving partial messages.
181
182 -C directory
183 Change the current directory to "directory" before reading
184 any files. This is useful when invoking munpack
185 from a mail or news reader.
186
187The environment variables which control munpack's behavior are:
188
189 TMPDIR
190 Root of directory to store partial messages awaiting
191 reassembly. Default is "/tmp". Partial messages
192 are stored in subdirectories of $TMPDIR/m-prts-$USER/
193
194
195Acknowledgements:
196
197Written by John G. Myers, jgm+@cmu.edu
198
199The mac version was written by Christopher J. Newman, chrisn+@cmu.edu
200
201Send all bug reports to mpack-bugs@andrew.cmu.edu
202
203Thanks to Nathaniel Borenstein for testing early versions of mpack and
204for making many helpful suggestions.
205
206
207PGP signature:
208
209The mpack 1.6 distribution is not pgp signed.
210
211Legalese:
212
213(C) Copyright 1993,1994 by Carnegie Mellon University
214All Rights Reserved.
215
216Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software
217and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
218provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that
219both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
220supporting documentation, and that the name of Carnegie Mellon
221University not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to
222distribution of the software without specific, written prior
223permission. Carnegie Mellon University makes no representations about
224the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as
225is" without express or implied warranty.
226
227CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO
228THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
229AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE
230FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
231WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN
232AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
233OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS
234SOFTWARE.
235
236Portions of this software are derived from code written by Bell
237Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore) and by RSA Data Security,
238Inc. and bear similar copyrights and disclaimers of warranty.
239
240