OPENVT(1) Linux User's Manual OPENVT(1)
NAME
openvt - start a program on a new virtual(5,8) 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 com-
mand with the given command options, standard input, output and error(8,n)
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(1,2) access(2,5) to the supplied VT for this to work.
-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(1,3,5) as that
user. Suitable to be called by init. Shouldn't be used with -c
or -l.
-l Make the command a login(1,3,5) 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(1,n) back to the controlling terminal when
the command completes.
-- end of options to openvt.
NOTE
If openvt is compiled with a POSIX (Gnu) getopt(1,3,3 Getopt::Std)() and you wish to set(7,n,1 builtins)
options to the command to be run, then you must supply the end of
options -- flag before the command.
EXAMPLES
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(1,3,5) shell, use:
openvt -l bash
To get a long listing you must supply the -- separator:
openvt -- ls -l
SEE ALSO
chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1,3,5)(1).
AUTHOR
Jon Tombs <jon@gtex02.us.es or jon@robots.ox.ac.uk>
-w idea from "sam".
Console tools 19 Jul 1996 OPENVT(1)