NAME

system − issue a shell command

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdio.h>

int system (string)
char ∗string;

DESCRIPTION

System causes the string to be given to sh(1) as input, as if the string had been typed as a command at a terminal. The current process waits until the shell has completed, then returns the exit status of the shell.

FILES

/bin/sh

SEE ALSO

sh(1), exec(2). 

DIAGNOSTICS

System forks to create a child process that in turn exec’s /bin/sh in order to execute string. If the fork or exec fails, system returns −1 and sets errno.

Version 2.1  —  January 02, 1985