cat(1)
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CAT(1) NetBSD Reference Manual CAT(1)
NAME
cat - concatenate and print files
SYNOPSIS
cat [-befnstuv] [-] [file ...]
DESCRIPTION
The cat utility reads files sequentially, writing them to the standard
output. The file operands are processed in command line order. A single
dash represents the standard input, and may appear multiple times in the
file list.
The word ``concatenate'' is just a verbose synonym for ``catenate''.
The options are as follows:
-b Implies the -n option but doesn't number blank lines.
-e Implies the -v option, and displays a dollar sign (`$') at the
end of each line as well.
-f Only attempt to display plain files.
-n Number the output lines, starting at 1.
-s Squeeze multiple adjacent empty lines, causing the output to be
single spaced.
-t Implies the -v option, and displays tab characters as `^I' as
well.
-u The -u option guarantees that the output is unbuffered.
-v Displays non-printing characters so they are visible. Control
characters print as `^X' for control-X; the delete character (oc-
tal 0177) prints as `^?' Non-ascii characters (with the high bit
set) are printed as `M-' (for meta) followed by the character for
the low 7 bits.
RETURN VALUES
The cat utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.
BUGS
Because of the shell language mechanism used to perform output redirec-
tion, the command ``cat file1 file2 > file1'' will cause the original da-
ta in file1 to be destroyed! This is performed by the shell before cat
is run.
SEE ALSO
head(1), hexdump(1), lpr(1), more(1), pr(1), tail(1), view(1), vis(1)
Rob Pike, "UNIX Style, or cat -v Considered Harmful", USENIX Summer
Conference Proceedings, 1983.
HISTORY
A cat utility appeared in Version 1 AT&T UNIX. Dennis Ritchie designed
and wrote the first man page. It appears to have been cat(1).
STANDARDS
The cat utility is expected to conform to the IEEE Std 1003.2-1992
(``POSIX.2'') specification.
The flags [-benstv] are extensions to the specification.
NetBSD 1.5 May 2, 1995 1
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