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SYSTEM(3)		    BSD Programmer's Manual		     SYSTEM(3)

NAME
     system - pass a command to the shell

SYNOPSIS
     #include <stdlib.h>

     int
     system(const char *string);

DESCRIPTION
     The system() function hands the argument string to the command inter-
     preter sh(1).  The calling process waits for the shell to finish execut-
     ing the command, ignoring SIGINT and SIGQUIT, and blocking SIGCHLD.

     If string is a NULL pointer, system() will return non-zero if the command
     interpreter sh(1) is available, and zero if it is not.

     The system() function returns the exit status of the shell, -1 if the
     wait(2) for the shell failed, or 127 if system() was unable to exec the
     shell.  The exit status of the shell may not be a simple integer, and
     should be interpreted using the macros defined in the wait(2) manual
     page.

SEE ALSO
     sh(1),  execve(2),	 wait(2),  popen(3)

STANDARDS
     The system() function conforms to ANSI C X3.159-1989 (``ANSI C '').

BSDI BSD/OS			 June 4, 1993				     1

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