Re: [Help-bash] What is going on here? Line with multiple < redirects

[Greg Wooledge]

On Fri, Dec 18, 2015 at 10:27:49AM -0500, David Niklas wrote:
> % cat < aa < bb < cc
> cc

Redirections are processed from left to right.  Each one is separate.

First, the redirection < aa is processed.  This opens file aa as stdin,
closing whatever the previous stdin was.

Then, the redirection < bb is processed.  This opens file bb as stdin,
closing the previous stdin.

Then, the redirection < cc is processed.  This opens file cc as stdin,
closing the previous stdin.

The result is effectively the same as if you had done   cat < cc
except that the files aa and bb are briefly opened and closed, and
you'll get an error if one of those can't be opened.