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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 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, --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;
       -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 command 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 AT gtex02.es or jon AT robots.uk>.  The -w idea is from "sam".
SEE ALSO
       chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)
19 Jul 1996                          V1.4                            OPENVT(1)