exec execute a command in place of the current shell	KornShell Built-in
	SYNOPSIS DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE DIAGNOSTICS PORTABILITY NOTE SEE ALSO

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SYNOPSIS

exec [command_line]

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DESCRIPTION

The argument to exec is a command_line for another command. exec runs this command without creating a new process. Some people picture this as overlaying the command on top of the currently executing KornShell. When the command exits, control returns to the parent of the shell.

Input and output redirections are valid in the command_line. You can modify the input and output descriptors of the shell by giving only input and output redirections in the command. For example,

exec 2>errors

redirects the standard error stream to errors in all subsequent commands run by the shell.

If you do not specify a command_line, exec simply returns a successful exit status.

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EXAMPLES

The command

exec 'c:\dos\command.com'

overlays the MKS KornShell with a copy of command.com.

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DIAGNOSTICS

If you specify command_line, exec does not return to the shell. Instead, the KornShell exits with the exit status of command_line or one of the following exit status values:

1-125

A redirection error occurred.

126

The command in command_line was found but it was not an executable utility.

127

The given command_line could not be executed because the command could not be found in the current PATH.

If you did not specify command_line, exec returns with an exit value of zero.

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PORTABILITY

POSIX.2. x/OPEN Portability Guide 4.0.

On some systems, it is impossible to implement a true version of exec, so it is implemented by spawning the command and exiting the shell. This may confuse a parent waiting on the shell, since the process id changes.

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NOTE

This is a special built-in command of the MKS KornShell.

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SEE ALSO

Commands:

sh