[SATLUG] OT: Midi file

[Dave Hansen]

On Fri, 2004-04-16 at 19:13, Geoff/W5OMR wrote:
> I got a neat email, that had a midi file embedded in it, and I -really- like the
> song.
> 
> I went to the source of the message, copied the midi part (hex-code) and tried
> to create
> a file, and name it accordingly (boogieharp.mid) but when I go to play it,
> nada... the player
> errors out.

I've never looked at how to embed a midi file in an e-mail (silly me, I
send plain text) but normally when I recieve attachments they're either
MIME or UUENCODED.  Normally any more it's MIME.  

The sending program has to convert the original binary file into ASCII
type characters to send it over e-mail.  Normally your recieving
client'll convert it back automatically for you (and play your song) but
in the source of the mail itself, it's still encoded. 

So.... (and here we tie it in to Linux so it's no longer OT) to save the
midi file itself, you'll need to save the e-mail as normal text, then
run a program on it to remove and decode the attachment.  I've been
using a program called Munpack (
http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=mpack ) but I'm sure
there are plenty others out there.  You basically just point it at the
saved mail file, and it decodes the attachments for you.  Something
like:
	munpack savedmail.txt

and it saves out the decoded attachment for you.  That's my Linux way of
doing it.  Your e-mail says you sent it with OE though, and off the top
of my head I don't know of a Windows way of doing it.  Windows would
probably be OT anyway.

So Munpack should be able to do what you're looking for.  Good luck with
it.

  -Dave