#!/bin/bash

#  'echo' is fine for printing single line messages,
#+  but somewhat problematic for for message blocks.
#   A 'cat' here document overcomes this limitation.

cat &lt;&lt;End-of-message
-------------------------------------
This is line 1 of the message.
This is line 2 of the message.
This is line 3 of the message.
This is line 4 of the message.
This is the last line of the message.
-------------------------------------
End-of-message

#  Replacing line 7, above, with
#+   cat &gt; $Newfile &lt;&lt;End-of-message
#+       ^^^^^^^^^^
#+ writes the output to the file $Newfile, rather than to stdout.

exit 0


#--------------------------------------------
# Code below disabled, due to "exit 0" above.

# S.C. points out that the following also works.
echo "-------------------------------------
This is line 1 of the message.
This is line 2 of the message.
This is line 3 of the message.
This is line 4 of the message.
This is the last line of the message.
-------------------------------------"
# However, text may not include double quotes unless they are escaped.
