Execute(4) Kernel Interfaces Manual Execute(4)
NAME
Execute - Contains instructions for running commands that require the resources of a remote system
SYNOPSIS
/usr/spool/uucp/SystemName/X.RemoteSystemNxxxx
DESCRIPTION
The Execute (X.*) files contain instructions for running uucp commands that require the resources of a remote system. They are created by
the uux command. The full pathname of a uux command execute file is a form of the following: /usr/spool/uucp/SystemName/X.RemoteSystem-
Nxxxx
where the SystemName directory is named for the local computer and the RemoteSystem directory is named for the remote system. The N char-
acter represents the grade of the work, and the xxxx notation is the 4-digit hexadecimal transfer-sequence number; for example,
X.zeusN2121.
Note that the grade of the work specifies when the file is to be transmitted during a particular connection. The grade notation is a sin-
gle number (0 to 9) or letter (A to Z, a to z). Lower sequence characters cause the file to be transmitted earlier in the connection than
do higher sequence characters. The number 0 (zero) is the highest grade, signifying the earliest transmittal; z is the lowest grade, sig-
nifying the latest transmittal. The default grade is N.
Standard Entries in an Execute File
An execute file consists of several lines, each with an identification character and one or more entries: Format and Description U UserName
SystemName
Specifies the login name of the user issuing the uux command and the name of the system from which the command was issued. N or Z
Indicates the error status.
The N character means that a failure message is not sent to the user issuing the uux command if the specified command does not exe-
cute successfully on the remote system.
The Z character means that a failure message is sent to the user issuing the uux command if the specified command does not execute
successfully on the remote system. R UserName
Specifies the login ID of the user requesting the remote command execution. F FileName
Contains the names of the files required to execute the specified command on the remote system. The FileName parameter can be
either the complete pathname of the file, including the unique transmission name assigned by the uucp program, or simply the trans-
mission name without any path information.
The Required File Line can contain zero or more filenames. The uuxqt daemon checks for the existence of all listed files before
running the specified command. I FileName
Specifies the standard input to be used.
The standard input is either specified by a < (less than) symbol in the command string, or is inherited from the standard input of
the uux command if that command was issued with the - (dash) flag. If standard input is specified, it also is listed in an F
(Required File) line. If standard input is not specified, the uucp program uses the /dev/null device file. O FileName SystemName
Specifies the names of the file and system that are to receive standard output from the execution of the command. Standard output is
specified by a > (greater than) symbol within the command string. (The >> sequence is not valid in uux commands.) As was the case
with standard input, if standard output is not specified, the uucp program uses the /dev/null device file. C CommandString
This is the command string that the user requests to be run on the specified system. The uucp program checks the /usr/lib/uucp/Per-
missions file on the designated computer to see whether the login ID can run the command on that system. All required files go to
the execute file directory, usually /usr/spool/uucp/.Xqtdir. After execution, the standard output is sent to the requested location
EXAMPLES
User fong on local system zeus enters the following command: uux - "diff /u/fong/out hera!/u/fong/out2 > ~uucp/DF"
This invokes the uux command to run a diff command on the local system, comparing file /u/fong/out with file /u/fong/out2, which is stored
on remote system hera. The output of the comparison is placed in the DF file in the public directory on the local system.
This command produced the /usr/spool/uucp/hera/X.zeusN212F execute file, which contains the following information: U fong zeus #
return status on failure Z # return address for status or input return R fong F /usr/spool/uucp/hera/D.herale954fd out2 O ~uucp/DF
zeus C diff /u/fong/out out2
The user line identifies user fong on system zeus. The error status line indicates that fong will receive a failure status message if the
diff command fails to execute. The requester is fong, and the file required to execute the command is the following data file:
/usr/spool/uucp/hera/D.herale954fd out2
The output of the command is to be written to the public directory on system zeus with the filename DF. (Remember that ~uucp is the
shorthand way of specifying the public directory.) The final line is the command string that user fong entered with the uux command. The
following is another example of an execute file: U uucp hera # don't return status on failure N # return address for status or input return
R uucp F D.hera5eb7f7b I D.hera5eb7f7b C rmail fong
This indicates that user uucp on system hera is sending mail to user fong, who is also working on system hera.
FILES
Describes access permissions for remote systems Describes accessible remote systems Contains uucp command, data, and execute files Contain
instructions for transfers Contains lists of commands that remote systems are permitted to execute Contains files that have been trans-
ferred
RELATED INFORMATION
Daemons: uuxqt
Commands: diff(1), uux(1) delim off
Execute(4)