yencode - Text encoding & decoding binary data

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# yencode(n) 1.1.2 tcllib "Text encoding & decoding binary data"

## 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 http://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. http://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. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the output of diff -u.

Note further that attachments are strongly preferred over inlined patches. Attachments can be made by going to the Edit form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left-most button in the secondary navigation bar.

## Keywords

encoding, yEnc, ydecode, yencode

## Category

Text processing

## Copyright

Copyright © 2002, Pat Thoyts