cat

PURPOSE

     Concatenates or displays files.

SYNOPSIS
     cat [ -u ] [ -s ] file ...


DESCRIPTION

     The cat command reads each file in sequence and writes it
     to  standard  output.  If  you  do  not specify  file  or
     specify  - (minus)  instead  of a  file,  cat reads  from
     standard input.

     Warning:   Do not  redirect output  to one  of the  input
     files using the ">" redirection  symbol.  If you do this,
     you will lose the original data in the input file because
     the shell truncates it before cat can read it (see "sh").

FLAGS

     -s    Does not  display a message  if cat cannot  find an
           input file.
     -u    Does not buffer output.

EXAMPLES

     1.  To display a file at the work station:

           cat  notes

         This displays the  data in the file  "notes".  If the
         file is  more than  about 23 lines  long, some  of it
         will scroll off the screen.   To list a file one page
         at  a  time,  use  the pg  command.   (See  "pg"  for
         details.)
     2.  To concatenate several files:

           cat  section1.1  section1.2  section1.3  >section1

         This creates a  file named "section1" that  is a copy
         of   "section1.1"   followed  by   "section1.2"   and
         "section1.3".
     3.  To suppress  error messages  about files that  do not
         exist:

           cat  -s  section2.1  section2.2  section2.3  >section2

         If  "section2.1" does  not  exist, this  concatenates
         "section2.2"  and "section2.3".   The  result is  the
         same if you do not use  the  -s, except that cat dis-
         plays the error message:

           cat: cannot open section2.1

         You may  want to  suppress this  message with  the -s
         flag when  you use  the cat  command in  shell proce-
         dures.
     4.  To append one file to the end of another:

           cat  section1.4  >>section1

         This appends  a copy  of "section1.4"  to the  end of
         "section1".   The ">>"  appends  data to  the end  of
         "section1".  If you want to replace the file, use the
         ">".  For more details, see "Redirection of Input and
         Output."
     5.  To add text to the end of a file:

           cat  >>notes
           Get milk on the way home
         Ctrl-D

         "Get milk  on the way  home" is  added to the  end of
         "notes".  The  cat command does not  prompt; it waits
         for you to enter text.   Press Ctrl-D to indicate you
         are finished.
     6.  To concatenate  several files with text  entered from
         the keyboard:

           cat  section3.1  -  section3.3  >section3

         This  concatenates "section3.1",  text from  the key-
         board, and "section3.3".
     7.  To concatenate several files with output from another
         command:

           li  |  cat section4.1 -  >section4

         This copies "section4.1", and  then the output of the
         li command to the file "section4".

RELATED INFORMATION

     The following commands:  "cp,"  "pr," and "sh."