\section{Standard Module \sectcode{base64}}
\label{module-base64}
\stmodindex{base64}
\indexii{base-64}{encoding}
\rfcindex{1421}
\index{MIME!base 64 encoding}

This module perform base-64 encoding and decoding of arbitrary binary
strings into text strings that can be safely emailed or posted.  The
encoding scheme is defined in \rfc{1421} and is used for MIME email and
various other Internet-related applications; it is not the same as the
output produced by the \file{uuencode} program.  For example, the
string \code{'www.python.org'} is encoded as the string
\code{'d3d3LnB5dGhvbi5vcmc=\e n'}.  

\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module base64)}

\begin{funcdesc}{decode}{input, output}
Decode the contents of the \var{input} file and write the resulting
binary data to the \var{output} file.
\var{input} and \var{output} must either be file objects or objects that
mimic the file object interface. \var{input} will be read until
\code{\var{input}.read()} returns an empty string.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{decodestring}{s}
Decode the string \var{s}, which must contain one or more lines of
base-64 encoded data, and return a string containing the resulting
binary data.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{encode}{input, output}
Encode the contents of the \var{input} file and write the resulting
base-64 encoded data to the \var{output} file.
\var{input} and \var{output} must either be file objects or objects that
mimic the file object interface. \var{input} will be read until
\code{\var{input}.read()} returns an empty string.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{encodestring}{s}
Encode the string \var{s}, which can contain arbitrary binary data,
and return a string containing one or more lines of
base-64 encoded data.
\end{funcdesc}