NAME

cat − concatenate, copy, and print files

SYNOPSIS

cat [ −u ] [ −s ] [ −v [−t] [−e] ] file ...

DESCRIPTION

Cat reads each file in sequence and writes it on the standard output.  Thus:

cat file

prints the file, and:

cat file1 file2 >file3

concatenates the first two files and places the result on the third. 

If no input file is given, or if the argument − is encountered, cat reads from the standard input file, enabling you to combine standard input with other files. 

The options are:

−u causes output to be unbuffered (character-by-character); normally, output is buffered. 

−s makes cat silent about non-existent files, identical input and output, and write errors.  Normally, no input file may be the same as the output file unless it is a special file.  (The 4.2BSD cat -s feature is provided by ssp(1).)

−v causes non-printing characters (with the exception of tabs, new-lines and form-feeds) to be printed visibly.  Control characters are printed ^X (control-X); the DEL character (octal 0177) is printed ^?.  Non-ASCII characters (with the high bit set) are printed as M−x, where x is the character specified by the seven low order bits. 

−t when used with the −v option, −t causes tabs to be printed as ^I’s. 

−e when used with the −v option, causes a $ character to be printed at the end of each line (prior to the new-line). 

The −t and −e options are ignored if the −v option is not specified. 

SEE ALSO

cp(1), pg(1), pr(1), rmnl(1), ssp(1). 

WARNING

Command formats such as

cat file1 file2 >file1

overwrites the data in file1 before the concatenation begins.  Therefore, take care when using shell special characters. 

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

8- and 16-bit data, 8-bit filenames, messages. 

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  Version B.1,  April 12, 1993