1OPENVT(1)                          Linux 1.x                         OPENVT(1)
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NAME

6       openvt - start a program on a new virtual terminal (VT).
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SYNOPSIS

9       openvt [-c vtnumber] [-s] [-u] [-l] [-v] [--] command command_options
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DESCRIPTION

12       openvt  will  find the first available VT, and run on it the given com‐
13       mand with the given command options, standard input, output  and  error
14       are  directed to that terminal. The current search path ($PATH) is used
15       to find the requested command. If no  command  is  specified  then  the
16       environment variable $SHELL is used.
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18   OPTIONS
19       -c vtnumber
20              Use  the  given  VT number and not the first available. Note you
21              must have write access to the supplied VT for this to work.
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23       -f     Force opening a VT without checking whether  it  is  already  in
24              use.
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26       -e     Directly  execute  the  given  command,  without  forking.  This
27              option is meant for use in /etc/inittab.
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29       -s     Switch to the new VT when starting the command. The  VT  of  the
30              new command will be made the new current VT.
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32       -u     Figure  out  the  owner of the current VT, and run login as that
33              user.  Suitable to be called by init. Shouldn't be used with  -c
34              or -l.
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36       -l     Make  the command a login shell. A - is prepended to the name of
37              the command to be executed.
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39       -v     Be a bit more verbose.
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41       -w     wait for command to complete. If -w and  -s  are  used  together
42              then  openvt  will  switch back to the controlling terminal when
43              the command completes.
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45       --     end of options to openvt.
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NOTE

48       If openvt is compiled with a POSIX (GNU) getopt() and you wish  to  set
49       options  to  the  command  to  be  run, then you must supply the end of
50       options -- flag before the command.
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EXAMPLES

53       openvt can be used to start a shell on the next free VT, by  using  the
54       command:
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56       openvt bash
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59       To start the shell as a login shell, use:
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61       openvt -l bash
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64       To get a long listing you must supply the -- separator:
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66       openvt -- ls -l
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HISTORY

71       Earlier,  openvt  was  called  open.   It  was  written  by  Jon  Tombs
72       <jon@gtex02.us.es or jon@robots.ox.ac.uk>.  The -w idea is from "sam".
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SEE ALSO

76       chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)
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8019 Jul 1996                          V1.4                            OPENVT(1)
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