NAME

       FBB::Exec - Runs external programs

SYNOPSIS

       #include <bobcat/exec>
       Linking option: -lbobcat

DESCRIPTION

       The  FBB::Exec  class  offers  a  basic interface for calling external programs (so-called
       child processes). The standard streams of the child processes are not handled  by  ttExec)
       objects: the parent’s standard streams are used by the child process. The PATH environment
       variable is not used  when  calling  child  processes:  child  process  programs  must  be
       specified using paths.

       Exec  objects  may  repeatedly  be  used to execute the same or different child processes.
       Before starting the next child process, the current child process must have finished.

       Arguments passed to child  processes  may  be  surrounded  by  double  or  single  quotes.
       Arguments surrounded by double quotes have their double quotes removed, while interpreting
       any escape-sequences that may have been used within. Arguments surrounded by single quotes
       have  their  single  quotes  removed,  while  accepting  their  content as-is. In addition
       unquoted escape-sequences may be specified:  those  escape  sequences  are  evaluated  and
       replaced by their intended characters (e.g., \100 is converted to @).

NAMESPACE

       FBB
       All  constructors,  members,  operators  and manipulators, mentioned in this man-page, are
       defined in the namespace FBB.

INHERITS FROM

       FBB::Fork

CONSTRUCTOR

       Only the default constructor is supported.

MEMBERS

       o      bool execute(std::string const &cmd):
              The argument specifies the command to execute: the command itself must be specified
              as  a  path  (the PATH environment variable isn’t used). The member returns true if
              the child process’s exit value equals 0. Otherwise false is returned. Once  execute
              has  returned it can be called again, either using the same or another command. The
              class Exec does not offer  facilities  to  forcefully  terminate  child  processes:
              parent  processes are suspended until the child processes have completed. Arguments
              passed to the program to be executed as child process may  optionall  be  specified
              using single or double quotes, as described in this man-page’s DESCRIPTION section.

       o      int ret() const:
              Once  execute  has  returned this member provides the actual exit code of the child
              process. Its value equals -1 before the first exectue call.

EXAMPLE

       #include <iostream>
       #include <bobcat/execfork>

       using namespace std;
       using namespace FBB;

       int main()
       {
           ExecFork ef;

           if (ef.execute("/bin/cp driver.cc /tmp"))
               cout << "driver.cc now copied to /tmp\n";
           else
               cout << "could not copy driver.cc to /tmp\n";

           cout << "Again:\n";

           if (ef.execute("/bin/cp driver.cc /tmp"))
               cout << "driver.cc now copied to /tmp\n";
           else
               cout << "could not copy driver.cc to /tmp\n";

       }

FILES

       bobcat/exec - provides the class interface

SEE ALSO

       bobcat(7), cerrextractor(3bobcat), cininserter(3bobcat), coutextractor(3bobcat), execl(3),
       fork(3bobcat), process(3bobcat), stdextractor(3bobcat).

BUGS

       None reported.

BOBCAT PROJECT FILES

       o      https://fbb-git.gitlab.io/bobcat/: gitlab project page;

       o      bobcat_5.11.01-x.dsc: detached signature;

       o      bobcat_5.11.01-x.tar.gz: source archive;

       o      bobcat_5.11.01-x_i386.changes: change log;

       o      libbobcat1_5.11.01-x_*.deb: debian package containing the libraries;

       o      libbobcat1-dev_5.11.01-x_*.deb:  debian  package  containing the libraries, headers
              and manual pages;

BOBCAT

       Bobcat is an acronym of `Brokken’s Own Base Classes And Templates’.

COPYRIGHT

       This is free software, distributed under the terms  of  the  GNU  General  Public  License
       (GPL).

AUTHOR

       Frank B. Brokken (f.b.brokken@rug.nl).