Linux in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition

Name

exec

Synopsis

                  exec [options] [command]

Execute command in place of the current shell (instead of creating a new process). exec is also useful for opening, closing, or copying file descriptors.

Options

-a name

Tell command that it was invoked as name.

-c

Remove all environment variables from the process when the new command runs.

-l

Treat the new process as if the user were logging in.

Examples

                  trap 'exec 2>&-' 0   
                  Close standard error when shell script 
                                                                 exits (signal 0)
$ exec /bin/tcsh       
                  Replace current shell with extended C shell
$ exec < infile        
                  Reassign standard input to infile