To understand how the exec functions operate, consider how the OpenVMS system calls any VSI C program, as shown in the following syntax: int main (int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[]); The identifier argc is the argument count; argv is an array of argument strings. The first member of the array (argv[0]) contains the name of the image. The arguments are placed in subsequent elements of the array. The last element of the array is always the NULL pointer. An exec function calls a child process in the same way that the run-time system calls any other VSI C program. The exec functions pass the name of the image to be activated in the child; this value is placed in argv[0]. However, the functions differ in the way they pass arguments and environment information to the child: o Arguments can be passed in separate character strings (execl, execle, and execlp) or in an array of character strings (execv, execve, and execvp). o The environment can be explicitly passed in an array (execle and execve) or taken from the parent's environment (execl, execv, execlp, and execvp). If vfork was called before invoking an exec function, then when the exec function completes, control is returned to the parent process at the point of the vfork call. If vfork was not called, the exec function waits until the child has completed execution and then exits the parent process. See vfork.