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SYSTEM(3) BSD Library Functions Manual SYSTEM(3) NAME system -- pass a command to the shell LIBRARY Standard C Library (libc, -lc) SYNOPSIS #include <stdlib.h> int system(const char *command); DESCRIPTION The system() function hands the argument command to the command inter-preter interpreter preter sh(1). The calling process waits for the shell to finish execut-ing executing ing the command, ignoring SIGINT and SIGQUIT, and blocking SIGCHLD. If command is a NULL pointer, system() will return non-zero if the com-mand command mand interpreter sh(1) is available, and zero if it is not. The system() function returns the exit status of the shell as returned by waitpid(2), or -1 if an error occurred when invoking fork(2) or waitpid(2). A return value of 127 means the execution of the shell failed. SEE ALSO sh(1), execve(2), fork(2), waitpid(2), popen(3) STANDARDS The system() function conforms to ISO/IEC 9899:1990 (``ISO C90'') and is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') compatible. BSD June 4, 1993 BSD |