MassDecode v1.1 - Public release - 05.18.1994 - Freeware
Copyright ©1994 by Gregg Giles
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# Purpose
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MassDecode is designed as an aid to those running a system connected to
UseNet. It will scan through a newsgroup containing uuencoded binaries and
decode them automatically, even if those binaries are broken up into
multiple files.
MassDecode is very intelligent, because it is required to deal with huge
amounts of information presented with no common standard. To the
experienced net crawler, dealing with uuencoded files can be quite a
patience-trying and time-intensive experience. First you have to find all
the seperate parts of a binary, join them together, and then decode them.
Doing this manually can be quite nauseating. Enter MassDecode.
MassDecode will scan through a directory of uuencoded files, piece
together all of the parts of a binary, and uudecode those uuencoded
binaries for you. You don't even have to be around. Obviously, this can
be a god-send for sysops carrying some of the comp.binaries.* or
alt.binaries.* newsgroups.
MassDecode is pretty darn smart for an ARexx script, because it has to
be. uuencoded binaries are often posted to newsgroups, and there is no set
standard on how they will appear when posted. The largest obstacle to
writing an automated script has always been finding the names of the binary
parts, finding all the parts, and having the script be smart enough to
piece them all together and decode them for you. Well, MassDecode does
exactly that.
Not only does MassDecode look for clues in uuencoded messages as to what
uuencoder was used, but it also does some pretty good guessing when there
are absolutely no clues as to what the uuencoder was.
For a complete list of improvements since the last version of this
program, see the section "Revisions & Planned Enhancements".
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# Features
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MassDecode has the following features:
* Recognizes uuencoded messages created with the following uuencoders:
-Post-Bin
-UBIN-PC
-uudecode 5.25 (by R.E.M.)
-UUXFER
* "Smart-guesses" information about a uuencoded message when the uuencoder
used to create the message is unknown.
* Capable of piecing together binaries which have been split up into
multiple parts across multiple files.
* Supplied "SmartDecode" decoder is capable of ignoring header information
found within encoded binaries. Alternatively, using other decoders is
possible.
* Delete uuencoded messages once the binary contained in them has been
extracted and saved, saving room on your hard disk.
* Apply filenotes to all newly created binaries, including special keywords
allowing you to supply the date, time (12 or 24 hour format), weekday,
etc.
* Possible to decode multiple directories by running MassDecode from a
script
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# Requirements
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In order to use MassDecode, you must have the following:
* An Amiga computer
* An active UseNet feed with newsgroups containing uuencoded binaries.
Examples of such newsgroups include alt.binaries.amiga,
alt.binaries.pictures, etc. (The "AmigaUUCP" package by Matt Dillon
will permit you to connect your system to another UseNet system - see
that package for details or ask your local Internet guru for help.)
* Workbench 2.0 or better
* ARexx (must be installed - see your Amiga manual for details)
* The "MassDecode.rexx" ARexx script (supplied)
* The "SmartDecode" executable file (supplied)
What you do NOT need to use MassDecode:
* MassDecode does NOT require any special BBS package. It can, however, be
used with ANY bulletin board system package with no problems.
(MassDecode operates completely independently of both AmigaUUCP and any
BBS software which you may have in operation.)
* MassDecode does NOT require any special registration keys to work.
(FURTHER DOCUMENTATION IS INCLUDED IN THE DISTRIBUTION ARCHIVE)
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