yencode (3)

NAME

yencode - Y-encode/decode binary data

SYNOPSIS

package require Tcl 8.2

package require yencode ?1.1.2?

::yencode::encode string

::yencode::decode string

::yencode::yencode ?-name string? ?-line integer? ?-crc32 boolean? (-file filename | ?--? string)

::yencode::ydecode (-file filename | ?--? string)

DESCRIPTION

This package provides a Tcl-only implementation of the yEnc file encoding. This is a recently introduced method of encoding binary files for transmission through Usenet. This encoding packs binary data into a format that requires an 8-bit clean transmission layer but that escapes characters special to the NNTP posting protocols. See www.yenc.org for details concerning the algorithm.

::yencode::encode string

returns the yEnc encoded data.

::yencode::decode string

Decodes the given yEnc encoded data.

::yencode::yencode ?-name string? ?-line integer? ?-crc32 boolean? (-file filename | ?--? string)

Encode a file or block of data.

::yencode::ydecode (-file filename | ?--? string)

Decode a file or block of data. A file may contain more than one embedded file so the result is a list where each element is a three element list of filename, file size and data.

OPTIONS

-filename name

Cause the yencode or ydecode commands to read their data from the named file rather that taking a string parameter.

-name string

The encoded data header line contains the suggested file name to be used when unpacking the data. Use this option to change this from the default of "data.dat".

-line integer

The yencoded data header line contains records the line length used during the encoding. Use this option to select a line length other that the default of 128. Note that NNTP imposes a 1000 character line length limit and some gateways may have trouble with more than 255 characters per line.

-crc32 boolean

The yEnc specification recommends the inclusion of a cyclic redundancy check value in the footer. Use this option to change the default from true to false.

% set d [yencode::yencode -file testfile.txt]
=ybegin line=128 size=584 name=testfile.txt
 -o- data not shown -o-
=yend size=584 crc32=ded29f4f

REFERENCES

[1]

www.yenc.org/yenc-draft.1.3.txt

BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK

This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems. Please report such in the category base64 of the Tcllib Trackers [core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist] Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

KEYWORDS

encoding, yEnc, ydecode, yencode

CATEGORY

Text processing

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2002, Pat Thoyts