Name
printf
Synopsis
printfformats
[strings
]
Print strings using the specified formats. formats can be ordinary text characters, C-language escape characters, printf (3S) format conversion specifiers, or, more commonly, a set of conversion arguments listed next.
Tip
printf is built into Bash and ksh93 (see Chapter 4); this entry describes the external version in /usr/bin/printf.
Common Arguments
-
%b
Process a string argument for backslash escapes (not in printf (3S)). See the description of allowed escapes under echo.
-
%s
Print the next string.
%[-
]m
[.
n
]s
Print the next string, using a field that is m characters wide. Optionally limit the field to print only the first n characters of string. Strings are right-adjusted unless the left-adjustment flag
-
is specified.
Solaris Argument
-
%
n
$s
Print the nth string.
Examples
$printf '%s %s\n' "My files are in" $HOME
My files are in /home/arnold $printf '%-25.15s %s\n' "My files are in" $HOME
My files are in /home/arnold
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