SYNOPSIS

       printf format [argument ...]

DESCRIPTION

       The printf command writes a string to standard output with a controlled
       format.  It is essentially a utility variant of the `C' language  func-
       tion printf(3).

       Most  characters  in  the  format  string  are simply copied.  The only
       exceptions are the backslash `\' and percent `%' characters.

       The backslash `\' character in the format string serves  as  an  escape
       for   the  following  character.   The  sequences  `\a'  (alert),  `\b'
       (backspace), `\f' (formfeed), `\n' (newline), `\r'  (carriage  return),
       `\t' (tabulator), and `\v' (vertical tabulator) cause the corresponding
       control characters to be printed.  The sequence `\nnn', where nnn is  a
       one-,  two-,  or  three-digit  octal number, cause the character (byte)
       with the corresponding number to be printed.  `\\' prints the backslash
       character itself.

       The  percent `%' character in the format string introduces a conversion
       specification consisting of up to five parts, of which the  first  four
       are optional:

       position      A positive decimal integer followed by a dollar `$' char-
                     acter that specifies the argument to be used  instead  of
                     the next unused one for the following conversions.

       flags         Zero or more of
                     -       left-justify the field
                     +       always include a sign when printing a number
                     <space> prefix the result by a space if there is no sign
                     #       alternate format
                     0       pad numbers with leading zeros

       field width   A  decimal  number giving the minimum width of the output
                     printed.  The output is  padded  if  necessary,  as  con-
                     trolled  by  the  flags  described above.  By default, no
                     padding is performed.  If the field width is `*',  it  is
                     taken from the next unused argument.

       precision     A  dot `.', followed by a decimal number giving the mini-
                     mum digits written for integer numeric  conversions,  the
                     minumum  digits  after  the radix character for floating-
                     point numeric conversions, or maximum bytes  written  for
                     string  conversions.   If  the precisision is `.*', it is
                     taken from the next unused argument.

       specifier     A character controlling the type of the  conversion  per-
                     formed:
                     s    The  next  unused  argument  is  written  as a plain
                          string.

                     u    The next unused argument is written as  an  unsigned
                          decimal number.
                     x    The next unused argument is written as a hexadecimal
                          number, using lowercase characters.   With  the  `#'
                          flag, it is prefixed by `0x'.
                     X    The next unused argument is written as a hexadecimal
                          number, using uppercase characters.   With  the  `#'
                          flag, it is prefixed by `0X'.
                     f    The  next  unused argument is written as a floating-
                          point number in the style `[-]nnn.nnn'.
                     e    The next unused argument is written as  a  floating-
                          point number in the style `[-]n.nnne[+|-]nn'.
                     E    The  next  unused argument is written as a floating-
                          point number in the style `[-]n.nnnE[+|-]nn'.
                     g    The next unused argument is written as  a  floating-
                          point  number  like  an integer if there is no frac-
                          tional part, as described for `f' if the exponent is
                          small,  or  as  described for `g' if the exponent is
                          large.
                     G    The next unused argument is written as  a  floating-
                          point  number  like  an integer if there is no frac-
                          tional part, as described for `f' if the exponent is
                          small,  or  as  described for `G' if the exponent is
                          large.
                     %    A percent character is printed.  No argument is con-
                          sumed.

       If  the  argument  for  the numeric specifiers starts with a single- or
       double quote (`'c' or `"c'), the numeric value of the following charac-
       ter (byte sequence) in the current character encoding is used.

       If  the format string consumes at least an argument, no format specifi-
       cation contains a position part, but there are still  unused  arguments
       after the entire format string has been evaluated once, it is evaluated
       repeatedly until all arguments are consumed.  Missing arguments default
       to  the  empty  string for string conversions, and to zero if a numeric
       value is expected.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

       LANG, LC_ALL
              See locale(7).

       LC_CTYPE
              Determines the mapping of bytes to characters for `'c' and `"c'.

SEE ALSO

       echo(1), printf(3)



Heirloom Toolchest                  7/17/05                          PRINTF(1)