$encode() and $decode() are they needed?

Is there any good reason to have these commands? I know they could be used for something useful but it seems most of the time they are used for exploits.

I just want to see what others think about this.

I've only come across one script that used $decode() and that was for echoing some info like who made it and such which just seemed stupid.

Originally Posted By: pball

Is there any good reason to have these commands? I know they could be used for something useful

Seems like you answered your own question...

ha ha ha
/sarcasm

I want examples man. I've only seen one lame use of that command before, nothing that made anything easier to do.

A fairly common usage that I've seen is for the following safe alias.

Code:

alias safe { return $!decode( $encode($1,m) ,m) }

Originally Posted By: pball

ha ha ha
/sarcasm

I want examples man. I've only seen one lame use of that command before, nothing that made anything easier to do.

Encoding binary data (such as a small image) into text which you can then store in a standard %variable. Or sent over the server to another person as a private message.

thanks
that makes sense

Everyone missed the most *obvious* example of $encode.. to encode data using MIME/UUencode encoding.

Web/mail servers often require that certain headers or data is sent as base64 encoded data. base64 is just another name for MIME encoding.

When you send Basic Auth information to a webserver, you're doing so with base64. It looks like this:

Code:

sockwrite -tn $sockname Authorization: Basic $encode(user:pass,m)

Other parts of HTTP require base64 as well. This seems like reason enough to me.