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
       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.  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
              setsid(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@gtex02.us.es> or
       <jon@robots.ox.ac.uk>.  The -w idea is from "sam".

SEE ALSO

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