einfo
Display extended information about EAPI
TLDR
Print all database names
Print all information of the protein database in XML format
Print all fields of the nuccore database
Print all links of the protein database
SYNOPSIS
einfo ["MESSAGE" | - ]
PARAMETERS
"MESSAGE"
Informational text to display, prefixed with " * " in green
-
Read message from standard input instead of argument
DESCRIPTION
The einfo command is a utility from the Gentoo portage-utils package, designed for displaying informational messages during ebuild execution in Portage, Gentoo's package manager.
It outputs the provided message prefixed with a green-colored " * " on stdout, providing consistent, visually distinct logging for build processes. This helps users quickly identify informational notes amid verbose emerge output.
Unlike plain echo, einfo automatically handles terminal color support (green foreground, bold), falling back to plain text if colors are unsupported or disabled. It's commonly used in ebuild phase functions like src_prepare() or pkg_postinst() for status updates, e.g., "Applying patch".
If no message is given or - is used, it reads from stdin, supporting multi-line input. Exit status is always 0 on success, making it suitable for scripting. Widely used in Gentoo overlays and ebuilds for user-friendly feedback.
CAVEATS
Gentoo-specific; requires portage-utils package. Colors depend on terminal support and --color env vars like EINFO_COLOR. Not for general scripting outside ebuilds.
EXAMPLES
einfo "Configuring package"
einfo - <<EOF
This is a
multi-line info.
EOF
OUTPUT EXAMPLE
* Your message here (green, bold prefix)
ENVIRONMENT
EINFO_COLOR=yes|no|auto controls coloring; defaults to auto.
HISTORY
Introduced in early Gentoo Portage development (~2003) as part of functions.sh library; standalone einfo binary added in portage-utils (2006+) for elogv integration, enhancing colored logging.
SEE ALSO
ewarn(1), eerror(1), ebegin(1), eend(1), elog(1)
