openvt − start a program on a new virtual terminal (VT).
openvt [−c vtnumber] [OPTIONS] [−−] command
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.
−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. |
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.
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
Earlier, openvt was called open. It was written by Jon Tombs <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>. The −w idea is from "sam".
chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)