Date   : Mon, 12 DEC 1987 01:14:00-
From   : RALPH%UHHEPG.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Subject: Problems with the Pascal UUDECODER

Date: 12-DEC-1987 00:43:27.18
From: Ralph Becker-Szendy RALPH AT UHHEPG
To:   GATEWAY::"info-cpm@simtel20.arpa",RALPH
Subj: Problems with the Pascal UUDECODER
Hi

I have a little problem: I suspect the standard cp/m UUDECODEr had a bug.

Here is the story: When i request a binary file (LBR, squeezed or suchlike)
from the BITNET server at RPI i have to request it as UUENCODED (because our
mail handler munches every binary file), and even then all the (up-arrow) are
converted into ^(twiddle). So, i transfer the UUENCODED file to the cp/m micro,
and run it through the regular UUDECODER (made from
PD:<CPM.STARTER-KIT>UUDECODE.HEX or .PAS, from SIMTEL20 or the server at RPI).

Unfortunately, the UUDECODER doesn't like the file: he complains about the
second to last line being too short (in 80% of the cases). Here an example:
M56<')',8<%.%1QT% "X$]#0&\C$#$#0#D#296#4&0'D5%%64$-?T#D#(#-/M
MVP@!H) "(0 V+!H:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:M
3&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&AH:&@M  <----- this line is (supposedly) too short
 M
end

And, even worse, in the rare case that UUDECODE doesn't complain about such a
line being too short, sometimes the output file is wrong (like several
characters missing). But, miracle, some files get through without any problem.

On the other hand, i am sure that the uuencoded files did NOT get munched
on the way to the micro (test: transmit it back, and compare).

I have tested this with more than 30 files, and after a while it is no fun any
more. So, the question is: does this UUDECODEr have a known bug, am i making a
mistake, or what ? Maybe the UUENCODER used by the server is wrong (but that
sounds VERY improbable).

Any help is appreciated. As usual: if i get enough answers, i'll summarize
then to the net.

Ralph Becker-Szendy                                     RALPH@UHHEPG.BITNET
University of Hawaii / High Energy Physics Group              (808)948-7391
Watanabe Hall #203, 2505 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
"Hawaii - it's not just for tourists. People actually live and work there."