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       -e     Directly execute  the  given  command,  without  forking.   This
24              option is meant for use in /etc/inittab.
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26       -s     Switch  to  the  new VT when starting the command. The VT of the
27              new command will be made the new current VT.
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29       -u     Figure out the owner of the current VT, and run  login  as  that
30              user.   Suitable to be called by init. Shouldn't be used with -c
31              or -l.
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33       -l     Make the command a login shell. A - is prepended to the name  of
34              the command to be executed.
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36       -v     Be a bit more verbose.
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38       -w     wait  for  command  to  complete. If -w and -s are used together
39              then openvt will switch back to the  controlling  terminal  when
40              the command completes.
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42       --     end of options to openvt.
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NOTE

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

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

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

73       chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)
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7719 Jul 1996                          V1.4                            OPENVT(1)
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