# man > UL(1)

> **TLDR:** Underline a text.
>
- Display the contents of the file with underlines where applicable:
  `ul {{file.txt}}`
- Display the contents of the file with underlines made of dashes `-`:
  `ul {{-i|--indicated}} {{file.txt}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

[UL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UL/1/markdown)                                       User Commands                                      [UL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UL/1/markdown)



## NAME
       ul - do underlining

## SYNOPSIS
       **ul** [options] [_file_...]

## DESCRIPTION
       **ul** reads the named files (or standard input if none are given) and translates occurrences of
       underscores to the sequence which indicates underlining for the terminal in use, as specified
       by the environment variable **TERM**. The _terminfo_ database is read to determine the appropriate
       sequences for underlining. If the terminal is incapable of underlining but is capable of a
       standout mode, then that is used instead. If the terminal can overstrike, or handles
       underlining automatically, **ul** degenerates to [**cat**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/cat/1/markdown). If the terminal cannot underline,
       underlining is ignored.

## OPTIONS
### -i --indicated
           Underlining is indicated by a separate line containing appropriate dashes `-'; this is
           useful when you want to look at the underlining which is present in an **nroff** output
           stream on a crt-terminal.

### -t -T --terminal
           Override the environment variable **TERM** with the specified _terminal_ type.

### -V --version
           Display version information and exit.

### -h --help
           Display help text and exit.

## ENVIRONMENT
       The following environment variable is used:

       **TERM**
           The **TERM** variable is used to relate a tty device with its device capability description
           (see [**terminfo**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/terminfo/5/markdown)). **TERM** is set at login time, either by the default terminal type
           specified in _/etc/ttys_ or as set during the login process by the user in their _login_ file
           (see [**setenv**(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/setenv/3/markdown)).

## HISTORY
       The **ul** command appeared in 3.0BSD.

## BUGS
       **nroff** usually outputs a series of backspaces and underlines intermixed with the text to
       indicate underlining. No attempt is made to optimize the backward motion.

## SEE ALSO
       [**colcrt**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/colcrt/1/markdown), [**login**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/login/1/markdown), [**man**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/man/1/markdown), [**nroff**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/nroff/1/markdown), [**setenv**(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/setenv/3/markdown), [**terminfo**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/terminfo/5/markdown)

## REPORTING BUGS
       For bug reports, use the issue tracker at <https://github.com/karelzak/util-linux/issues>.

## AVAILABILITY
       The **ul** command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from Linux Kernel
       Archive <<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>>.



util-linux 2.37.2                            2021-06-02                                        [UL(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/UL/1/markdown)