Creates a subprocess  of  the  current  process.   Portions  of  the
  current process context are copied to the subprocess.

  Format:


    SPAWN  [command-string]

Additional information available:

ParametersCommand QualifiersExamples

 command-string

  Specifies a command string to be executed  in  the  context  of  the
  created  subprocess.   When  the  command  completes, the subprocess
  terminates and control is returned to the parent  process.   If  you
  use  both  the  /INPUT  qualifier and a command string, commands are
  obtained from the input file  after  the  specified  command  string
  executes.  The command string cannot exceed 132 characters.

Additional information available:

/CARRIAGE_CONTROL/CLI/INPUT/KEYPAD/LOG/LOGICAL_NAMES
/NOTIFY/OUTPUT/PROCESS/PROMPT/SYMBOLS/TABLE/WAIT

 /CARRIAGE_CONTROL
 /NOCARRIAGE_CONTROL

  Determines whether carriage return/line feed characters are prefixed
  to  the  subprocess's  prompt  string.  By default, SPAWN copies the
  current setting of the parent process.

 /CLI=cli
 /NOCLI

  Specifies the name of  an  alternate  command  language  interpreter
  (CLI)  to  be  used by the subprocess.  If the /CLI qualifier is not
  specified, the CLI used will be the same as the parent process.

  The CLI you specify must be located in SYS$SYSTEM and have the  file
  type EXE.

 /INPUT=file-spec

 Specifies an input file containing one or more  DCL  commands  to  be
  executed by the spawned subprocess.  If you specify a command string
  with the SPAWN command and an input file with the /INPUT  qualifier,
  the  command  string  is  processed  before  the  input  file.  Once
  processing  of  the  input  file  is  complete,  the  subprocess  is
  terminated.

  No wildcards are allowed in the file specification.

  You cannot explicitly specify non-record-oriented process  permanent
  files  (NRO PPFs) with the /INPUT qualifier.  The system displays an
  error message when it encounters  such  a  file  as  the  value  for
  /INPUT.

  Note that when NRO PPFs are used as implicit input (that is,  /INPUT
  is  not specified and SYS$INPUT is a NRO PPF), the SPAWN command can
  succeed.  The following chart shows what happens.

       Process Type      SYS$INPUT Implicit Input

       Interactive       NRO PPF   SYS$COMMAND

       Non-interactive   NRO PPF   Null Device

       Any               Any other SYS$INPUT

  If SYS$INPUT is a terminal, it cannot have  an  associated  terminal
  mailbox.

 /KEYPAD (default)
 /NOKEYPAD

  Determines whether keypad symbols and the current keypad  state  are
  copied  from  the  parent process to the subprocess.  By default, if
  you  have  established  key  definitions  and/or  states  with   the
  DEFINE/KEY and/or SET KEY commands, these settings are copied to the
  subprocess.  Use the /NOKEYPAD qualifier if you do not want the  key
  settings to be copied.

 /LOG (default)
 /NOLOG

  Controls whether the assigned subprocess name is diplayed along with
  any messages indicating transfer of control between processes.

 /LOGICAL_NAMES (default)
 /NOLOGICAL_NAMES

  Determines whether the  system  passes  process  logical  names  and
  logical  name  tables  to  the  subprocess.  By default, all process
  logical names and logical name tables are copied to  the  subprocess
  except  those  explicitly  marked CONFINE or created in executive or
  kernel mode.

 /NOTIFY
 /NONOTIFY (default)

  Controls whether a message is broadcast to the terminal at which you
  are logged in, notifying you that your subprocess has been completed
  or aborted.  This qualifier should not be used  unless  you  specify
  the  /NOWAIT  qualifier.   /NOTIFY also cannot be specified when the
  SPAWN command is executed from within a non-interactive process.

  Note that messages broadcast as a result of specifying  the  /NOTIFY
  qualifier  are  considered  to  be  DCL messages.  Therefore, if SET
  BROADCAST=NODCL is in effect, all such notification messages will be
  suppressed.

 /OUTPUT=file-spec

 Requests that the output from the SPAWN operation be written  to  the
  specified file.

  Note that if both  the  /OUTPUT  and  /NOWAIT  qualifiers  are  used
  interactively,  and  if SYS$COMMAND is specified as the /OUTPUT file
  specification, the output from both your  parent  process  and  your
  subprocesses will be displayed simultaneously at your terminal.

  No wildcards are allowed in the file specification.

  You cannot explicitly specify non-record-oriented process  permanent
  files (NRO PPFs) with the /OUTPUT qualifier.  The system displays an
  error message when it encounters  such  a  file  as  the  value  for
  /OUTPUT.

  Note that when NRO PPFs are  used  as  implicit  output,  the  SPAWN
  command can succeed.  The following chart shows what happens.

       Process Type    SYS$OUTPUT    Implicit Output

       Any             NRO PPF       Mailbox transmitting records  for
                                       parent  to write to its current
                                       SYS$OUTPUT device

       Any             Any other     SYS$OUTPUT

  If you omit the /OUTPUT qualifier, output is written to the  current
  SYS$OUTPUT device.

 /PROCESS=subprocess-name

 Specifies the name of the subprocess to be created.  If you specify a
  process name that already exists, an error message is displayed.  By
  default, if you omit the /PROCESS qualifier, a unique  process  name
  is  assigned  with  the  same  base name as the parent process and a
  unique number.  The default subprocess name format is:
       username_n

  If the /LOG qualifier has been specified, the assigned name  of  the
  subprocess is displayed.

 /PROMPT[=string]

 Specifies the prompt string for DCL to use  in  the  subprocess.   By
  default, SPAWN copies the current prompt from the parent process.

  The string can consist of more than one character.  All valid  ASCII
  characters  can  be used in the string.  In order to include spaces,
  lowercase letters or non-alphanumeric characters in your string, you
  must  enclose the string in quotation marks.  Otherwise, letters are
  automatically converted  to  uppercase,  and  leading  and  trailing
  spaces are removed.

  If no string is specified, the DCL default prompt  string  "$  "  is
  restored.

 /SYMBOLS (default)
 /NOSYMBOLS

  Determines whether the system passes DCL global and local symbols to
  the  subprocess.   Note  that  the  $RESTART, $SEVERITY, and $STATUS
  symbols are never passed to the subprocess.

 /TABLE=command-table

 Specifies the name of an alternate command table to be  used  by  the
  subprocess.

 /WAIT (default)
 /NOWAIT

  Controls whether the system waits until the  current  subprocess  is
  completed  before  allowing more commands to be issued in the parent
  process.  The /NOWAIT qualifier allows you  to  issue  new  commands
  while the specified subprocess is running.  When you use the /NOWAIT
  qualifier interactively, be sure to use  the  /OUTPUT  qualifier  as
  well so that output from the subprocess is directed to a file rather
  than to your terminal.  Otherwise, your terminal  will  be  used  by
  more than one process at the same time.

  Note that specifying the /NOWAIT qualifier will cause both input and
  output to be shared with the parent process.  If the input device is
  a terminal, control characters, such as CTRL/T or CTRL/Y, will  also
  affect  all  subprocesses  sharing  the  input  device.  CTRL/Y, for
  example, will interrupt all such subprocesses.

  This problem may be avoided by specifying /INPUT=NL:.

  1.   $ RUN MYPROG
             .
             .
             .
       $ ^Y
       $ SPAWN MAIL
       %DCL-S-SPAWNED, process SMITH_1 spawned
       %DCL-S-ATTACHED, terminal now attached to process SMITH_1
       MAIL> READ
          .
          .
          .
       MAIL> EXIT
       %DCL-S-RETURNED, control returned to process SMITH
       $ CONTINUE

  The SPAWN command in this example allows you to  enter  the  VAX/VMS
  Mail  Utility  without  terminating  the  currently running program.
  After you exit from MAIL, control is returned to the parent process.