#!/bin/bash

# includes a little function that echoes its argument to the screen
#     3 times on the same line;
# then calls that function, both by itself and by "capturing" its
#     output with the help of backquotes
#
# by: Sharon Tuttle
# last modified: 11-19-12

# expects a single argument, and outputs it to standard out 3 times
#     on the same line

echo3()
{
    echo -n $1
    echo -n $1
    echo -n $1
    echo ""
}

# calling function echo3 in different ways

echo3 moooo

trio=`echo3 la`
echo "trio is $trio"

echo3 dillo | wc -c