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

NAME

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

SYNOPSIS

       openvt [-c vtnumber] [OPTIONS] [--] command

DESCRIPTION

       openvt  will  find the first available VT, and run on it the given command 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, --console=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
              Force opening a VT without checking whether it is already in use;

       -e, --exec
              Directly execute the given command, without forking.  This option is meant for use in /etc/inittab.  If you want to use this feature
              in another context, be aware that openvt has to be a session leader in order for -e to work.  See setsid(2) or setsid(1) on  how  to
              achieve this.

       -s, --switch
              Switch to the new VT when starting the command. The VT of the new command will be made the new current VT;

       -u, --user
              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, --login
              Make the command a login shell. A - is prepended to the name of the command to be executed;

       -v, --verbose
              Be a bit more verbose;

       -w, --wait
              wait  for command to complete. If -w and -s are used together then openvt will switch back to the controlling terminal when the com-
              mand completes;

       -V, --version
              print program version and exit;

       -h, --help
              show this text and exit.

       --     end of options to openvt.

NOTE

       If openvt is compiled with a getopt_long() 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)