The MIME Message Format

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

The MIME message format enables any client program to decode and display complex message bodies. Complex message bodies can contain rich text, multiple character sets, and binary attachments such as pictures, sounds, spreadsheets, and so on. MIME is richer and more flexible than UUENCODE; it provides a generic and flexible process for including content within messages.

With MIME formatting, you can:

• Specify alternate content encoding mechanisms for each content part.
• Relate groups of multiple content parts within a message.
• Use non-US-ASCII character sets.
• Specify the intended disposition of a content part, for example, inline or attachment.

Note   MIME message format enables you to enhance your applications without changing the underlying structure.