root@www:/usr/local/www/apache24/data/cpfong/docs/shell # which echo printf
echo: shell built-in command.
/usr/bin/printf

$var='test'
$printf %s $var	#note: no newline
$echo $var

$ printf %s "this is a test"	# all in one string (only 2 args)
this is a test

$ printf %s this is a test	# 5 args here
thisisatest

$var='this is a test'
printf %s "$var"		# this is a test
printf %s $var			# thisisatest