dtaction(4)

dtaction(1)		 USER COMMANDS		      dtaction(1)

NAME
     dtaction -	invoke a TED action with specified arguments

SYNOPSIS
     dtaction [-contextDir context_dir]	[-execHost host_name]
     [-termOpts	terminal_arguments] [-user user_name] action_name
     [action_arg] ...

DESCRIPTION
     The dtaction utility allows applications or shell scripts,
     which are otherwise not connected into the	TED development
     environment, to invoke action requests.

     The action	called action_name is invoked with the action_arg
     provided on the command line.  A single action_name is
     required; the user	may provide any	number of action_args.
     Interpretation of the action_name and action_args depends on
     the definition of the action in the action	database (see
     dtactionfile(4)).	The action may be defined in one of the
     system action database files, or in one of	the user's
     private action database files.

     The action_args are absolute or relative pathnames	of files.
     The utility passes	this list of files on to the specified
     action.

     Error dialogs are posted when the following conditions are
     detected:

	o  could not initialize	desktop	environment

	o  invalid user	or password

	o  unable to change ID to the desired user

	o  no action name specified

OPTIONS
     The following options are available:

	-contextDir context_dir
	      If the definition	of action_name does not	define a
	      current working directory	(see CWD in dtaction-
	      file(4)) for command actions, the	user can use this
	      option to	specify	a default directory context.

	-execHost host_name
	      The user can use this option to specify an alterna-
	      tive execution host, host_name, for a command
	      action.  If the action is	not a command action, the
	      dtaction utility ignores this option.  The action
	      is attempted on host_name	instead	of the hosts

Unix System LaboratoLast change: 1 August 1995			1

dtaction(1)		 USER COMMANDS		      dtaction(1)

	      specified	in the action's	EXEC_HOST (see dtaction-
	      file(4)) specification.  An error	dialog is posted
	      if it is not possible to invoke the specified
	      action on	any eligible host.

	-termOpts terminal_arguments
	      This option allows the user to specify arguments
	      intended for the terminal	emulator that is provided
	      for command actions that are not of type NO_STDIO.
	      If there are white-space characters in the
	      terminal_arguments string, that string must be
	      quoted to	protect	it from	the shell.  These argu-
	      ments are	passed unchanged to the	terminal emula-
	      tor.  The	user must ensure that they are reason-
	      able; in particular, terminal_arguments does not
	      allow the	argument that specifies	the command to be
	      run in a terminal	emulator window	(that is, -e for
	      dtterm(1)).

	-user user_name
	      The -user	option allows a	user to	specify	a user
	      name.  If	dtaction is not	currently running as that
	      user, a prompt dialog collects the indicated user
	      password,	or the root user password.  Once a valid
	      password is entered, the dtaction	utility	changes
	      so that it is running as the requested user and
	      then initiates the requested action.

OPERANDS
     The following operands are	supported:

	action_name
	      The name of the action to	be invoked.

	action_arg
	      The absolute or relative file names of files.

STDIN
     Not used.

INPUT FILES
     The input files named as action_arg arguments are absolute
     or	relative names of files.

     The action	database files found on	DTDATABASESEARCHPATH con-
     form to the format	specified in dtactionfile(4).

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
     The following environment variable	affects	the execution of
     dtaction:

Unix System LaboratoLast change: 1 August 1995			2

dtaction(1)		 USER COMMANDS		      dtaction(1)

	DTDATABASESEARCHPATH
	      A	comma-separated	list of	directories (with
	      optional host: prefix) that tells	the action ser-
	      vice where to find the action databases.

RESOURCES
     None.

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS
     The dtaction utility takes	the standard action for	all sig-
     nals.

STDOUT
     Not used.

STDERR
     The dtaction utility writes diagnostic error messages to
     standard error, which is redirected to $HOME/.dt/errorlog.

OUTPUT FILES
     None.

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION
     None.

EXIT STATUS
     The following exit	values are returned:

	 0  Successful completion.

	>0  An invocation error	was detected.

CONSEQUENCES OF	ERRORS
     Default.

APPLICATION USAGE
     None.

EXAMPLES
     None.

SEE ALSO
     dtactionfile(4), dtterm(1), dtaction(1).

Unix System LaboratoLast change: 1 August 1995			3

See also dtaction(1)