OPENVT(1) Linux 1.x OPENVT(1) 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 com- mand 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. -f Force opening a VT without checking whether it is already in use. -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. 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 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@gtex02.us.es or jon@robots.ox.ac.uk>. The -w idea is from "sam". SEE ALSO chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1) 19 Jul 1996 V1.4 OPENVT(1)