UUCat is short for uuencoded file concatenator. And that's what it is. If you don't know what uuencoding is, you don't need this tool. If you do know what uuencoding is… read on.
UUCat allows you to take a bunch of smaller uuencoded files and cram them all into one big file while stripping out any non-uuencoded stuff (headers, sigs and the like). It also allows you to verify a file, by showing you all of the non-uuencoded data in that file.
Since anything large is usually split up to accommodate whimpy mail or news nodes, uuencoded files are commonly found in multiple parts.
There are tools similar to UUCat for UNIX, but I haven't found anything of the like for my Mac, and I like to spend a little time as possible on the behemoth that I get my mail from and do all of the work on my Mac, once I have the file.
I started out just writing the verification part for some possibly corrupt files that I had, and then remembered a utility called 'unity' which concatenated bin-hex files, and I also remembered wishing that it would work with uuencoded files as well, so I thought it would be relatively easy to add those capabilities to what was then UUCheck (never made it past infancy).
About this version:
Version 1.0 - initial release.
About future versions:
• I want to make the different parts of the file distinguishable in the display window, possibly using text styles, colors or both.
• If there is the demand for it, I'll add the ability to decode as well as join, but there are already a bunch of decoders for the Mac. (UULite is robust, UUTool is fast).
• You can copy and paste from the display window, but if anyone really wants, I'll add the ability to save the headers to a file.
• If anyone really wants backward compatibility with system 6, it probably wouldn't be too hard to do, right now it only works with 7.0 or better.
• If you can thing of anything else, just drop me a line, and I'll try to add that as well (if it isn't too time consuming).
About me:
I have been writing Mac software since some time in 1985 (and working with them since before that). This was back when I was going to school at the Univ. of Utah. Now I'm doing private consulting out of Denver.
I can be reached at:
Alan T. Goates (OtherWare)
3400 S. Lowell Blvd. #8-305
Denver, CO 80236
Ph #: (303) 934-1039
or electronically at:
AppleLink: ILIAD
Internet: agoates@nyx.cs.du.edu
Legal crap:
This product is Freeware, which means that you do not need to send me money to us it, but you cannot alter it, take credit for writing it or make any money off of it (other than reasonable distribution charges, like the cost of a disk or phone charges). I still own the code, you're just using it for free.
If you feel too much gratitude and cannot accept the concept of using something with out paying for it (yeah, right), plant a tree, or give a bum some money for coffee, or save a whale, or something.
But seriously I would like to hear from you if you do use the program, just send me a note to let me know how much you appreciate my efforts.
Oh, yeah, some of the graphics and sound for this program were blatantly ripped off, but since I'm not making any money off of this, I don't think anyone will mind.