Linux in a Nutshell, 6th Edition

Name

cat

Synopsis

cat [options] [files]

Read (concatenate) one or more files and print them on standard output. Read standard input if no files are specified or if - is specified as one of the files; input ends with EOF. You can use the > operator to combine several files into a new file, or >> to append files to an existing file. When appending to an existing file, use Ctrl-D, the end-of-file symbol, to end the session.

Options

-A, --show-all

Same as -vET.

-b, --number-nonblank

Number all nonblank output lines, starting with 1.

-e

Same as -vE.

-E, --show-ends

Print $ at the end of each line.

-n, --number

Number all output lines, starting with 1.

-s, --squeeze-blank

Squeeze down multiple blank lines to one blank line.

-t

Same as -vT.

-T, --show-tabs

Print TAB characters as ^I.

-u

Ignored; kept for Unix compatibility.

-v, --show-nonprinting

Display control and nonprinting characters, with the exception of LINEFEED and TAB.

Examples

cat ch1                Display a file
cat ch1 ch2 ch3 > all  Combine files
cat note5 >> notes     Append to a file
cat > temp1            Create file at terminal. To exit, enter EOF
                                         Ctrl-D).
cat > temp2 << STOP    Create file at terminal. To exit, enter STOP.