usr/src/lib/libc/stdlib/system.3

.\" Copyright (c) 1990 The Regents of the University of California.
.\" All rights reserved.
.\"
.\" %sccs.include.redist.man%
.\"
.\"     @(#)system.3    6.3 (Berkeley) %G%
.\"
.TH SYSTEM 3 ""
.AT 3
.SH NAME
system \- issue a shell command
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
.ft B
#include <stdlib.h>

system(const char *string);
.ft R
.fi
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I System
hands
.I string
to the command interpreter
.IR sh (1).
The calling process waits until the shell has completed,
ignoring SIGINT and SIGQUIT, and blocking SIGCHLD.
.PP
If
.I string
is a NULL pointer,
.I system
will return non-zero if the command interpreter
.IR sh (1)
is available, and zero if it is not.
.PP
.I System
returns the exit status of the shell, or \-1 if the
.IR wait (3)
for the shell failed.
A return status of 127 indicates that the execution of the shell
failed.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
sh(1), execve(2), wait(2), popen(3)
.SH STANDARDS
.B System
conforms to ANSI X3.159-1989 (``ANSI C'').