# zcat

## PROLOG



           This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The
           Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the
           corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or
           the interface may not be implemented on Linux.
    


## NAME



           zcat — expand and concatenate data
    


## SYNOPSIS



           zcat **[**_file_...**]**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           The _zcat_ utility shall write to standard output the uncompressed
           form of files that have been compressed using the _compress_
           utility. It is the equivalent of _uncompress_ **-c**.  Input files are
           not affected.
    


## OPTIONS



           None.
    


## OPERANDS



           The following operand shall be supported:
    
           _file_      The pathname of a file previously processed by the
                     _compress_ utility. If _file_ already has the **.Z** suffix
                     specified, it is used as submitted. Otherwise, the **.Z**
                     suffix is appended to the filename prior to processing.
    


## STDIN



           The standard input shall be used only if no _file_ operands are
           specified, or if a _file_ operand is **'-'**.
    


## INPUT FILES



           Input files shall be compressed files that are in the format
           produced by the _compress_ utility.
    


## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES



           The following environment variables shall affect the execution of
           _zcat_ :
    
           _LANG_      Provide a default value for the internationalization
                     variables that are unset or null. (See the Base
                     Definitions volume of POSIX.1‐2017, _Section 8.2_ ,
                     _Internationalization Variables_ for the precedence of
                     internationalization variables used to determine the
                     values of locale categories.)
    
           _LC_ALL_    If set to a non-empty string value, override the values
                     of all the other internationalization variables.
    
           _LC_CTYPE_  Determine the locale for the interpretation of sequences
                     of bytes of text data as characters (for example,
                     single-byte as opposed to multi-byte characters in
                     arguments).
    
           _LC_MESSAGES_
                     Determine the locale that should be used to affect the
                     format and contents of diagnostic messages written to
                     standard error.
    
           _NLSPATH_   Determine the location of message catalogs for the
                     processing of _LC_MESSAGES_.
    


## ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS



           Default.
    


## STDOUT



           The compressed files given as input shall be written on standard
           output in their uncompressed form.
    


## STDERR



           The standard error shall be used only for diagnostic messages.
    


## OUTPUT FILES



           None.
    


## EXTENDED DESCRIPTION



           None.
    


## EXIT STATUS



           The following exit values shall be returned:
    
            0    Successful completion.
    
           >0    An error occurred.
    


## CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS



           Default.
    
           _The following sections are informative._
    


## APPLICATION USAGE



           None.
    


## EXAMPLES



           None.
    


## RATIONALE



           None.
    


## FUTURE DIRECTIONS



           None.
    


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