From owner-svn-src-all@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Nov 12 22:43:40 2010
Return-Path: <owner-svn-src-all@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: svn-src-all@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5C5231065670;
	Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from jilles@FreeBSD.org)
Received: from svn.freebsd.org (svn.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::2c])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4A6228FC12;
	Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from svn.freebsd.org (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by svn.freebsd.org (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id oACMhebR026265;
	Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 GMT (envelope-from jilles@svn.freebsd.org)
Received: (from jilles@localhost)
	by svn.freebsd.org (8.14.3/8.14.3/Submit) id oACMheEO026263;
	Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 GMT (envelope-from jilles@svn.freebsd.org)
Message-Id: <201011122243.oACMheEO026263@svn.freebsd.org>
From: Jilles Tjoelker <jilles@FreeBSD.org>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 +0000 (UTC)
To: src-committers@freebsd.org, svn-src-all@freebsd.org,
	svn-src-head@freebsd.org
X-SVN-Group: head
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Cc: 
Subject: svn commit: r215211 - head/bin/echo
X-BeenThere: svn-src-all@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: "SVN commit messages for the entire src tree \(except for &quot;
	user&quot; and &quot; projects&quot; \)" <svn-src-all.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/svn-src-all>,
	<mailto:svn-src-all-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/svn-src-all>
List-Post: <mailto:svn-src-all@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:svn-src-all-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/svn-src-all>,
	<mailto:svn-src-all-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:43:40 -0000

Author: jilles
Date: Fri Nov 12 22:43:40 2010
New Revision: 215211
URL: http://svn.freebsd.org/changeset/base/215211

Log:
  echo(1): Clarify portability and mention literal "--" handling.
  
  MFC after:	1 week

Modified:
  head/bin/echo/echo.1

Modified: head/bin/echo/echo.1
==============================================================================
--- head/bin/echo/echo.1	Fri Nov 12 22:40:18 2010	(r215210)
+++ head/bin/echo/echo.1	Fri Nov 12 22:43:40 2010	(r215211)
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 .\"	@(#)echo.1	8.1 (Berkeley) 7/22/93
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd April 12, 2003
+.Dd November 12, 2010
 .Dt ECHO 1
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -56,24 +56,37 @@ The following option is available:
 .Bl -tag -width flag
 .It Fl n
 Do not print the trailing newline character.
-This may also be achieved by appending
+.El
+.Pp
+The end-of-options marker
+.Fl Fl
+is not recognized and written literally.
+.Pp
+The newline may also be suppressed by appending
 .Ql \ec
 to the end of the string, as is done
 by iBCS2 compatible systems.
-Note that this option as well as the effect of
+Note that the
+.Fl n
+option as well as the effect of
 .Ql \ec
 are implementation-defined in
 .St -p1003.1-2001
 as amended by Cor.\& 1-2002.
-Applications aiming for maximum
-portability are strongly encouraged to use
+For portability,
+.Nm
+should only be used if the first argument does not start with a hyphen
+.Pq Ql "-"
+and does not contain any backslashes
+.Pq Ql "\e" .
+If this is not sufficient,
 .Xr printf 1
-to suppress the newline character.
-.El
+should be used.
 .Pp
-Some shells may provide a builtin
+Most shells provide a builtin
 .Nm
-command which is similar or identical to this utility.
+command which tends to differ from this utility
+in the treatment of options and backslashes.
 Consult the
 .Xr builtin 1
 manual page.