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dtaction(1)
CDE


NAME
  dtaction - invoke a Cde 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 Cde 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:

    ·  could not initialize desktop environment

    ·  invalid user or password

    ·  unable to change ID to the desired user

    ·  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 dtactionfile(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 alternative 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 specified in the
	action's EXEC_HOST (see dtactionfile(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 arguments are passed unchanged to the terminal
	emulator.  The user must ensure that they are reasonable; 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 dtterm1).

  -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 conform to the
  format specified in dtactionfile(4).

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

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

RESOURCES
  None.

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS
  The dtaction utility takes the standard action for all signals.

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).