OPENVT(1) Linux 1.x OPENVT(1)
openvt - start a program on a new virtual terminal (VT).
openvt [-c vtnumber] [-s] [-u] [-l] [-v] [--] command command_options
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.
Use the given VT number and not the first available. Note you
must have write access to the supplied VT for this to work.
-e Directly execute the given command, without forking. This
option is meant for use in /etc/inittab.
-s Switch to the new VT when starting the command. The VT of the
new command will be made the new current VT.
-u 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
-l Make the command a login shell. A - is prepended to the name of
the command to be executed.
-v Be a bit more verbose.
-w 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.
-- end of options to openvt.
If openvt is compiled with a POSIX (GNU) getopt() 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
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@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org>. The -w idea is from "sam".
chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)
19 Jul 1996 V1.4 OPENVT(1)
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