Digital

NAME

tell − Tell remote DECnet node to execute commands

SYNOPSIS

tell [nodename[/username/password]] [command]

FLAGS

nodename Is the name of the remote DECnet node that will execute the command (or set of commands) that you specify. 

command Is any valid command that you want to execute on the specified remote DECnet node. 

DESCRIPTION

The tell command allows you to execute a command (or a set of commands) on any remote DECnet node supporting tell. 

If a remote DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS system does not have tell, copy the file /usr/examples/decnet/TELL.COM to the OpenVMS system. 

To execute a single command on the remote system, specify the nodename and the command on the tell command line.  In the following example, the show time command executes on the OpenVMS node TUPELO:
 
tell tupelo sho time
10-FEB-1996 10:25:15

To execute more than one command on a remote system, simply type tell.  The tell utility prompts you for a node name or address and then for commands that you want to execute.  When you finish entering commands, press Ctrl/D to return to the local shell. 

You can enter a local command during a tell session by beginning the command with a tilde (~) and pressing Return, which puts you in local mode.  You receive the local mode prompt (~LOCAL> where LOCAL is the name of the local node).  For a list of local commands, type a question mark (?). 

RESTRICTIONS

Digital Equipment Corporation supplies this utility on an "as-is" basis for general customer use.  Note that Digital does not offer any support for it, nor is it covered under any of Digital’s support contracts. 

With tell, you can only use single line commands that generate output.  The tell utility does not let you pass control to another program, such as mail.  If you request tell to run a program and the program issues a read request, the request fails.  Also, you cannot use tell to run cursor-manipulating programs.