'\" te
.\"  Copyright (c) 1988 Sun Microsystems, Inc - All Rights Reserved.
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.TH ECHO 1B "Aug 3, 1994"
.SH NAME
echo \- echo arguments to standard output
.SH SYNOPSIS
.LP
.nf
\fB/usr/ucb/echo\fR [\fB-n\fR] [\fIargument\fR]
.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
.LP
\fBecho\fR writes its arguments, separated by \fIBLANK\fRs and terminated by a
\fINEWLINE\fR, to the standard output.
.sp
.LP
\fBecho\fR is useful for producing diagnostics in command files and for sending
known data into a pipe, and for displaying the contents of environment
variables.
.sp
.LP
For example, you can use \fBecho\fR to determine how many subdirectories below
the root directory (\fB/\fR) is your current directory, as follows:
.RS +4
.TP
.ie t \(bu
.el o
echo your current-working-directory's full pathname
.RE
.RS +4
.TP
.ie t \(bu
.el o
pipe the output through \fBtr\fR to translate the path's embedded
slash-characters into space-characters
.RE
.RS +4
.TP
.ie t \(bu
.el o
pipe that output through \fBwc\fR \fB-w\fR for a count of the names in your
path.
.sp
.in +2
.nf
example% \fB/usr/bin/echo "echo $PWD | tr '/' ' ' | wc -w"\fR
.fi
.in -2
.sp

.RE
.sp
.LP
See \fBtr\fR(1) and \fBwc\fR(1) for their functionality.
.sp
.LP
The shells \fBcsh\fR(1), \fBksh\fR(1), and \fBsh\fR(1), each have an \fBecho\fR
built-in command, which, by default, will have precedence, and will be invoked
if the user calls \fBecho\fR without a full pathname. \fB/usr/ucb/echo\fR and
\fBcsh\fR's \fBecho()\fR have an \fB-n\fR option, but do not understand
back-slashed escape characters. \fBsh\fR's \fBecho()\fR, \fBksh\fR's
\fBecho()\fR, and \fB/usr/bin/echo\fR, on the other hand, understand the
black-slashed escape characters, and \fBksh\fR's \fBecho()\fR also understands
\fB\ea\fR as the audible bell character; however, these commands do not have an
\fB-n\fR option.
.SH OPTIONS
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-n\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Do not add the \fINEWLINE\fR to the output.
.RE

.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
.LP
\fBcsh\fR(1), \fBecho\fR(1), \fBksh\fR(1), \fBsh\fR(1), \fBtr\fR(1),
\fBwc\fR(1), \fBattributes\fR(5)
.SH NOTES
.sp
.LP
The \fB-n\fR option is a transition aid for \fBBSD\fR applications, and may not
be supported in future  releases.