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  cur‐
       rent 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 set‐
              sid(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 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@ro‐
       bots.ox.ac.uk>.  The -w idea is from "sam".


SEE ALSO
       chvt(1), doshell(8), login(1)



19 Jul 1996                                    V1.4                                     OPENVT(1)