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- '\"
- '\" Copyright (c) 1993 The Regents of the University of California.
- '\" All rights reserved.
- '\"
- '\" Permission is hereby granted, without written agreement and without
- '\" license or royalty fees, to use, copy, modify, and distribute this
- '\" documentation for any purpose, provided that the above copyright
- '\" notice and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies.
- '\"
- '\" IN NO EVENT SHALL THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY
- '\" FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
- '\" ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE UNIVERSITY OF
- '\" CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
- '\"
- '\" THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES,
- '\" INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
- '\" AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS
- '\" ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATION TO
- '\" PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS.
- '\"
- '\" $Header: /user6/ouster/tcl/man/RCS/exec.n,v 1.6 93/07/23 15:13:34 ouster Exp $ SPRITE (Berkeley)
- '\"
- .\" The definitions below are for supplemental macros used in Tcl/Tk
- .\" manual entries.
- .\"
- .\" .HS name section [date [version]]
- .\" Replacement for .TH in other man pages. See below for valid
- .\" section names.
- .\"
- .\" .AP type name in/out [indent]
- .\" Start paragraph describing an argument to a library procedure.
- .\" type is type of argument (int, etc.), in/out is either "in", "out",
- .\" or "in/out" to describe whether procedure reads or modifies arg,
- .\" and indent is equivalent to second arg of .IP (shouldn't ever be
- .\" needed; use .AS below instead)
- .\"
- .\" .AS [type [name]]
- .\" Give maximum sizes of arguments for setting tab stops. Type and
- .\" name are examples of largest possible arguments that will be passed
- .\" to .AP later. If args are omitted, default tab stops are used.
- .\"
- .\" .BS
- .\" Start box enclosure. From here until next .BE, everything will be
- .\" enclosed in one large box.
- .\"
- .\" .BE
- .\" End of box enclosure.
- .\"
- .\" .VS
- .\" Begin vertical sidebar, for use in marking newly-changed parts
- .\" of man pages.
- .\"
- .\" .VE
- .\" End of vertical sidebar.
- .\"
- .\" .DS
- .\" Begin an indented unfilled display.
- .\"
- .\" .DE
- .\" End of indented unfilled display.
- .\"
- '\" # Heading for Tcl/Tk man pages
- .de HS
- .ds ^3 \\0
- .if !"\\$3"" .ds ^3 \\$3
- .if '\\$2'cmds' .TH \\$1 1 \\*(^3 \\$4
- .if '\\$2'lib' .TH \\$1 3 \\*(^3 \\$4
- .if '\\$2'tcl' .TH \\$1 n \\*(^3 Tcl "Tcl Built-In Commands"
- .if '\\$2'tk' .TH \\$1 n \\*(^3 Tk "Tk Commands"
- .if '\\$2'tclc' .TH \\$1 3 \\*(^3 Tcl "Tcl Library Procedures"
- .if '\\$2'tkc' .TH \\$1 3 \\*(^3 Tk "Tk Library Procedures"
- .if '\\$2'tclcmds' .TH \\$1 1 \\*(^3 Tk "Tcl Applications"
- .if '\\$2'tkcmds' .TH \\$1 1 \\*(^3 Tk "Tk Applications"
- .if t .wh -1.3i ^B
- .nr ^l \\n(.l
- .ad b
- ..
- '\" # Start an argument description
- .de AP
- .ie !"\\$4"" .TP \\$4
- .el \{\
- . ie !"\\$2"" .TP \\n()Cu
- . el .TP 15
- .\}
- .ie !"\\$3"" \{\
- .ta \\n()Au \\n()Bu
- \&\\$1 \\fI\\$2\\fP (\\$3)
- .\".b
- .\}
- .el \{\
- .br
- .ie !"\\$2"" \{\
- \&\\$1 \\fI\\$2\\fP
- .\}
- .el \{\
- \&\\fI\\$1\\fP
- .\}
- .\}
- ..
- '\" # define tabbing values for .AP
- .de AS
- .nr )A 10n
- .if !"\\$1"" .nr )A \\w'\\$1'u+3n
- .nr )B \\n()Au+15n
- .\"
- .if !"\\$2"" .nr )B \\w'\\$2'u+\\n()Au+3n
- .nr )C \\n()Bu+\\w'(in/out)'u+2n
- ..
- '\" # BS - start boxed text
- '\" # ^y = starting y location
- '\" # ^b = 1
- .de BS
- .br
- .mk ^y
- .nr ^b 1u
- .if n .nf
- .if n .ti 0
- .if n \l'\\n(.lu\(ul'
- .if n .fi
- ..
- '\" # BE - end boxed text (draw box now)
- .de BE
- .nf
- .ti 0
- .mk ^t
- .ie n \l'\\n(^lu\(ul'
- .el \{\
- .\" Draw four-sided box normally, but don't draw top of
- .\" box if the box started on an earlier page.
- .ie !\\n(^b-1 \{\
- \h'-1.5n'\L'|\\n(^yu-1v'\l'\\n(^lu+3n\(ul'\L'\\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^yu'\l'|0u-1.5n\(ul'
- .\}
- .el \}\
- \h'-1.5n'\L'|\\n(^yu-1v'\h'\\n(^lu+3n'\L'\\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^yu'\l'|0u-1.5n\(ul'
- .\}
- .\}
- .fi
- .br
- .nr ^b 0
- ..
- '\" # VS - start vertical sidebar
- '\" # ^Y = starting y location
- '\" # ^v = 1 (for troff; for nroff this doesn't matter)
- .de VS
- .mk ^Y
- .ie n 'mc \s12\(br\s0
- .el .nr ^v 1u
- ..
- '\" # VE - end of vertical sidebar
- .de VE
- .ie n 'mc
- .el \{\
- .ev 2
- .nf
- .ti 0
- .mk ^t
- \h'|\\n(^lu+3n'\L'|\\n(^Yu-1v\(bv'\v'\\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^Yu'\h'-|\\n(^lu+3n'
- .sp -1
- .fi
- .ev
- .\}
- .nr ^v 0
- ..
- '\" # Special macro to handle page bottom: finish off current
- '\" # box/sidebar if in box/sidebar mode, then invoked standard
- '\" # page bottom macro.
- .de ^B
- .ev 2
- 'ti 0
- 'nf
- .mk ^t
- .if \\n(^b \{\
- .\" Draw three-sided box if this is the box's first page,
- .\" draw two sides but no top otherwise.
- .ie !\\n(^b-1 \h'-1.5n'\L'|\\n(^yu-1v'\l'\\n(^lu+3n\(ul'\L'\\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^yu'\h'|0u'\c
- .el \h'-1.5n'\L'|\\n(^yu-1v'\h'\\n(^lu+3n'\L'\\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^yu'\h'|0u'\c
- .\}
- .if \\n(^v \{\
- .nr ^x \\n(^tu+1v-\\n(^Yu
- \kx\h'-\\nxu'\h'|\\n(^lu+3n'\ky\L'-\\n(^xu'\v'\\n(^xu'\h'|0u'\c
- .\}
- .bp
- 'fi
- .ev
- .if \\n(^b \{\
- .mk ^y
- .nr ^b 2
- .\}
- .if \\n(^v \{\
- .mk ^Y
- .\}
- ..
- '\" # DS - begin display
- .de DS
- .RS
- .nf
- .sp
- ..
- '\" # DE - end display
- .de DE
- .fi
- .RE
- .sp .5
- ..
- .HS exec tcl 7.0
- .BS
- '\" Note: do not modify the .SH NAME line immediately below!
- .SH NAME
- exec \- Invoke subprocess(es)
- .SH SYNOPSIS
- \fBexec \fR?\fIswitches\fR? \fIarg \fR?\fIarg ...\fR?
- .BE
-
- .SH DESCRIPTION
- .PP
- This command treats its arguments as the specification
- of one or more subprocesses to execute.
- The arguments take the form of a standard shell pipeline
- where each \fIarg\fR becomes one word of a command, and
- each distinct command becomes a subprocess.
- .PP
- If the initial arguments to \fBexec\fR start with \fB\-\fR then
- .VS
- they are treated as command-line switches and are not part
- of the pipeline specification. The following switches are
- currently supported:
- .TP 13
- \fB\-keepnewline
- Retains a trailing newline in the pipeline's output.
- Normally a trailing newline will be deleted.
- .TP 13
- \fB\-\|\-\fR
- Marks the end of switches. The argument following this one will
- be treated as the first \fIarg\fR even if it starts with a \fB\-.
- .VE
- .PP
- If an \fIarg\fR (or pair of \fIarg\fR's) has one of the forms
- described below then it is used by \fBexec\fR to control the
- flow of input and output among the subprocess(es).
- Such arguments will not be passed to the subprocess(es). In forms
- .VS
- such as ``< \fIfileName\fR'' \fIfileName\fR may either be in a
- separate argument from ``<'' or in the same argument with no
- intervening space (i.e. ``<\fIfileName\fR'').
- .VE
- .TP 15
- |\fR
- Separates distinct commands in the pipeline. The standard output
- of the preceding command will be piped into the standard input
- of the next command.
- .TP 15
- |&\fR
- Separates distinct commands in the pipeline. Both standard output
- and standard error of the preceding command will be piped into
- the standard input of the next command.
- This form of redirection overrides forms such as 2> and >&.
- .TP 15
- <\0\fIfileName\fR
- The file named by \fIfileName\fR is opened and used as the standard
- input for the first command in the pipeline.
- .TP 15
- <@\0\fIfileId\fR
- .VS
- \fIFileId\fR must be the identifier for an open file, such as the return
- value from a previous call to \fBopen\fR.
- It is used as the standard input for the first command in the pipeline.
- \fIFileId\fR must have been opened for reading.
- .VE
- .TP 15
- <<\0\fIvalue\fR
- \fIValue\fR is passed to the first command as its standard input.
- .TP 15
- >\0\fIfileName\fR
- Standard output from the last command is redirected to the file named
- \fIfileName\fR, overwriting its previous contents.
- .TP 15
- 2>\0\fIfileName\fR
- .VS
- Standard error from all commands in the pipeline is redirected to the
- file named \fIfileName\fR, overwriting its previous contents.
- .TP 15
- >&\0\fIfileName\fR
- Both standard output from the last command and standard error from all
- commands are redirected to the file named \fIfileName\fR, overwriting
- its previous contents.
- .VE
- .TP 15
- >>\0\fIfileName\fR
- Standard output from the last command is
- redirected to the file named \fIfileName\fR, appending to it rather
- than overwriting it.
- .TP 15
- 2>>\0\fIfileName\fR
- .VS
- Standard error from all commands in the pipeline is
- redirected to the file named \fIfileName\fR, appending to it rather
- than overwriting it.
- .TP 15
- >>&\0\fIfileName\fR
- Both standard output from the last command and standard error from
- all commands are redirected to the file named \fIfileName\fR,
- appending to it rather than overwriting it.
- .TP 15
- >@\0\fIfileId\fR
- \fIFileId\fR must be the identifier for an open file, such as the return
- value from a previous call to \fBopen\fR.
- Standard output from the last command is redirected to \fIfileId\fR's
- file, which must have been opened for writing.
- .TP 15
- 2>@\0\fIfileId\fR
- \fIFileId\fR must be the identifier for an open file, such as the return
- value from a previous call to \fBopen\fR.
- Standard error from all commands in the pipeline is
- redirected to \fIfileId\fR's file.
- The file must have been opened for writing.
- .TP 15
- >&@\0\fIfileId\fR
- \fIFileId\fR must be the identifier for an open file, such as the return
- value from a previous call to \fBopen\fR.
- Both standard output from the last command and standard error from
- all commands are redirected to \fIfileId\fR's file.
- The file must have been opened for writing.
- .VE
- .PP
- If standard output has not been redirected then the \fBexec\fR
- command returns the standard output from the last command
- in the pipeline.
- If any of the commands in the pipeline exit abnormally or
- are killed or suspended, then \fBexec\fR will return an error
- and the error message will include the pipeline's output followed by
- error messages describing the abnormal terminations; the
- \fBerrorCode\fR variable will contain additional information
- about the last abnormal termination encountered.
- If any of the commands writes to its standard error file and that
- standard error isn't redirected,
- then \fBexec\fR will return an error; the error message
- will include the pipeline's standard output, followed by messages
- about abnormal terminations (if any), followed by the standard error
- output.
- .PP
- If the last character of the result or error message
- is a newline then that character is normally deleted
- from the result or error message.
- This is consistent with other Tcl return values, which don't
- normally end with newlines.
- .VS
- However, if \fB\-keepnewline\fR is specified then the trailing
- newline is retained.
- .VE
- .PP
- If standard input isn't redirected with ``<'' or ``<<''
- or ``<@'' then the standard input for the first command in the
- pipeline is taken from the application's current standard input.
- .PP
- If the last \fIarg\fR is ``&'' then the pipeline will be
- executed in background.
- .VS
- In this case the \fBexec\fR command will return a list whose
- elements are the process identifiers for all of the subprocesses
- in the pipeline.
- .VE
- The standard output from the last command in the pipeline will
- go to the application's standard output if it hasn't been
- redirected, and error output from all of
- the commands in the pipeline will go to the application's
- standard error file unless redirected.
- .PP
- The first word in each command is taken as the command name;
- tilde-substitution is performed on it, and if the result contains
- no slashes then the directories
- in the PATH environment variable are searched for
- an executable by the given name.
- If the name contains a slash then it must refer to an executable
- reachable from the current directory.
- No ``glob'' expansion or other shell-like substitutions
- are performed on the arguments to commands.
-
- .SH KEYWORDS
- execute, pipeline, redirection, subprocess
-