lessecho

lessecho [-dn] [-m maxlen] [name...]

-d
    Replace unprintable characters with caret notation (e.g., ^X) and meta-prefixing (e.g., M-X) for display, similar to how less might render them.

-n
    Do not output a trailing newline character at the end of the output. This allows concatenating multiple outputs or controlling line endings precisely.

-m maxlen
    Truncate the output string to a maximum of maxlen characters. Any characters beyond this specified limit will not be displayed, which is useful for fitting content into limited display areas.

name...
    One or more strings or arguments to be echoed to standard output. These are the primary data that lessecho processes and returns.

lessecho is a specialized helper utility that is bundled with the powerful less pager. At its core, its function is to echo its command-line arguments to standard output, much like the standard echo command. However, its existence and primary purpose are intricately tied to the internal operations of less.

It serves a crucial role in assisting less with the complex task of displaying text, particularly when dealing with very long lines that exceed the terminal's width, or when input is being pre-processed via the LESS_PIPE environment variable. lessecho helps less determine how to correctly break, wrap, or chop these lines, ensuring that the content is presented legibly within the pager's view.

Unlike echo, lessecho offers specific options like character sanitization (-d) and output truncation (-m), which are highly relevant for preparing diverse text streams for terminal display. Consequently, it is an internal tool rarely invoked directly by users; its functionality is optimized for the specific demands of the less pager's text rendering engine.

lessecho is primarily an internal utility for the less pager and is not intended for general-purpose scripting or interactive use as a direct replacement for echo. Its behavior is optimized for the specific context of the less environment, and direct invocation outside this context might not be intuitive or necessary for typical command-line tasks.

lessecho is frequently invoked by less itself, particularly when the LESS_PIPE environment variable is set to process input, or when less needs to reformat long lines for display within the terminal window. It's a behind-the-scenes tool that ensures less functions correctly with diverse text streams and unusual character sets, contributing to its reputation as a highly capable pager.

It's crucial to understand that despite its name, lessecho is not a general replacement for the standard echo command. Its specialized role within the less ecosystem means it offers functionality tailored to the pager's needs, such as character sanitization (with -d) and length truncation (with -m) that are particularly useful when preparing text for consistent and readable terminal display via less, rather than for generic script output.

lessecho has been an integral part of the less pager distribution since its early development. As less evolved to become a highly robust and versatile text viewer capable of handling complex file types, pipes, and intricate line formatting (such as chopping or wrapping extremely long lines), lessecho emerged as a necessary internal component. Its development parallels the sophisticated feature set of less, ensuring efficient and accurate text display under a wide range of conditions.

less(1), echo(1), more(1)