echo (host)
Write arguments to standard output (POSIX)
Syntax:
echo [-n] [string...]
Runs on:
Microsoft Windows
Options:
- -n
- Don't write a trailing newline character.
- string
- A string to be written to standard output.
Description:
The echo utility writes its arguments, followed by a newline character, to standard output. If there are no arguments, only the newline character is written.
- a shell builtin command (see the echo command for ksh)
- the echo utility, which is a standalone executable that can operate without the availability of the system shell
On the host system, echo is present in the two forms mentioned above but also as an OS command that you can run in a command session. You can use the echo utility independently of a shell process such as ksh or an OS command session. To make sure you use the utility, specify the full path; the exact path depends on the host OS. On Windows, the path must be specified as ${QNX_HOST}\usr\bin\echo.exe in scripts but %QNX_HOST%\usr\bin\echo.exe in a command line.
which echo
on the host, this command's output can
be misleading because it will provide the path of the QNX SDP echo
utility, but if you just type echo
in an OS command session, it's the OS
command and not the QNX SDP utility that runs.There are differences in behavior between the OS command and the QNX SDP echo utility. The utility follows the POSIX standard in terms of supported options, meaning -n is supported, but the OS command's supported options depend on the host OS. On Windows, this command does not support -n. Also the utility does not support the extra option -e (on any host OS). For more information, see your host OS documentation on echo.
The echo utility supports the following escape sequences within string:
Escape | Description |
---|---|
\a |
Write an alert character (the bell). |
\b |
Write a backspace character. |
\c |
Suppress the newline character that otherwise follows the final argument in the output. All
characters following the \c in the arguments are ignored. |
\f |
Write a formfeed character. |
\n |
Write a newline character. |
\r |
Write a carriage-return character. |
\t |
Write a tab character. |
\v |
Write a vertical tab character. |
\\ |
Write a backslash character. |
\0 num |
Write an 8-bit value that's the ASCII character represented by the specified 1-, 2-, or 3-digit octal number num. |
Examples:
Echo the string Hello, Mother\nHello, Father
to the standard output (note that
echo appends a final trailing newline):
$ echo 'Hello, Mother\nHello, Father'
Hello, Mother
Hello, Father
$
Exit status:
- 0
- Successful completion.
- >0
- An error occurred.