NAME
openvt - start a program on a new virtual terminal
(VT).
SYNOPSIS
openvt [-c vtnumber] [-s] [-u] [-l] [-v]
[--] command command_options
DESCRIPTION
openvt will find the first available VT,
and run on it the given command with the given command
options, standard input, output and error are directed to that
terminal. The current search path ($PATH) is used to find the
requested command. If no command is specified then the environment
variable $SHELL is used.
OPTIONS
- -c vtnumber
- Use the given VT number and not the first available. Note you
must have write access to the supplied VT for this to work.
- -e
- Directly execute the given command, without forking. This
option is meant for use in /etc/inittab.
- -s
- Switch to the new VT when starting the command. The VT of the
new command will be made the new current VT.
- -u
- Figure out the owner of the current VT, and run login as that
user. Suitable to be called by init. Shouldn't be used with -c or
-l.
- -l
- Make the command a login shell. A - is prepended to the name of
the command to be executed.
- -v
- Be a bit more verbose.
- -w
- wait for command to complete. If -w and -s are used together
then openvt will switch back to the controlling terminal
when the command completes.
- --
- end of options to openvt.
NOTE
If openvt is compiled with a POSIX (GNU)
getopt() and you wish to set options to the command to be run, then
you must supply the end of options -- flag before the command.
.SHEXAMPLES openvt can be used to start a shell on
the next free VT, by using the command:
- openvt bash
- To start the shell as a login shell, use:
- openvt -l bash
- To get a long listing you must supply the -- separator:
- openvt -- ls -l
HISTORY
Earlier, openvt was called open. It
was written by Jon Tombs <jon@robots.ox.ac.uk>. The -w
idea is from "sam".
SEE ALSO
chvt(1),
doshell(8),
login(1)