Synopsis: exec [] exec -direct exec -name exec -out exec -msg exec -notice exec -in exec -window exec - exec -close Description: EXEC allows you to spawn other processes from within your client, which are naturally treated as child processes. For example, if you wished to check your email without suspending your client (or quitting irc), you could simply EXEC your favorite mail program. Processes can be given unique names, allowing them to be referred to more intuitively than trying to figure out its process id number. Processes can also accept any signal normally available through use of the Unix "kill" command (letting you kill, suspend, etc. any process that accepts such a signal). Process identifiers begin with a "%". Thus, a process named "mail" with pid 0 could be referred to as either "%mail" or "%0". EXEC can take several different flags, each of which allow you to manipulate the subprocess in different ways. At the most basic level, the only argument you really need to give is the external program to run. If no arguments are given at all, a list of any currently running processes is returned. When using the -OUT, -MSG, or -NOTICE flags, output can be sent to the target upon startup of the subprocess, or redirected to it after it's already running by using its process id. Another flag of note, -CLOSE, can be used to shut down renegade subprocesses that simply won't go away (i.e. with their own quit command, with the KILL signal, etc.). This actually just severs the link between the subprocess and the client, so it will die on its own the next time it tries to send data to the client. Something to remember when worried about a shell processing arguments is the -DIRECT flag, which executes the commands without spawning a shell. This can cut down on security risks, and save some memory. Options: -direct executes commands without spawning a shell -name give the subprocess a logical name -out send subprocess output to your current channel -msg send subprocess output to a nick or channel with MSG -notice send subprocess output to a nick or channel with NOTICE -in send a text string to the specified subprocess -window redirect subprocess output to another window - send SIG to the subprocess -close forcibly kill the subprocess and its children Examples: (Assume that the process used with these examples is the Unix mail program.) To start a process: /exec mail To start a process without a shell interfering: /exec -direct mail To start a process and give it a human-readable name: /exec -name mail mail To send the output of a new subprocess to your current channel: /exec -out mail To send the output of a running subprocess to JoeBob with a MSG: /exec -msg joebob %mail To send the output of a new subprocess to #blah with a NOTICE: /exec -notice #blah mail To send a text string (command) to a running subprocess: /exec -in %mail ? To send a running subprocess the KILL signal: /exec -kill %mail To forcibly close down a stubborn subprocess that just won't die: /exec -close %mail Aliases: When using EXEC with the -IN flag, the functionality is identical to using MSG to send a message to a process. See MSG for more information. See Also: msg(1); set(4) exec_protection, notify_on_termination, security, shell, shell_flags, shell_limit Restrictions: Use of external programs from within irc can sometimes be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. The danger doesn't necessarily lie in the external programs themselves, but rather in any lack of knowledge about them you may have. When all else fails, don't use a command if you don't know what it does. You can explicitly limit your ability to use EXEC in several ways. If EXEC_PROTECTION is set to ON, ircII-EPIC will not permit EXEC to be used from within any ON hook. If SECURITY has the 1 bit set, the client will only permit EXEC to be used interactively; using it from within aliases is not allowed. For real security, you can #define RESTRICTED at compile time, which will completely disable EXEC. Other Notes: The available signals that may be sent to a process will vary from system to system.