PCA$HELP.HLB  —  SPAWN
    PCA Command

    Spawns a subprocess so you can temporarily suspend the PCA
    session to run another program or to execute DCL commands.

    Format

      SPAWN  [dcl-command]

1  –  Parameters 

 dcl-command

    Specifies a DCL command. If you specify the dcl-command
    parameter, a subprocess is created which executes the specified
    DCL command. Control is returned to the PCA session when the DCL
    command terminates.

    If you omit the dcl-command parameter, the SPAWN command creates
    a subprocess and attaches the terminal to that process. You can
    then enter DCL commands at the terminal. When you log out of the
    subprocess or attach back to the parent process, you can continue
    your PCA session.

    If the DCL command you specify includes a semicolon, you must
    enclose the command in quotation marks. Otherwise, the semicolon
    can be mistaken for a PCA command separator. To include a
    quotation mark inside the string, enter two consecutive quotation
    marks.

2  –  Description 

    The SPAWN command acts the same as the DCL SPAWN command. You
    can use it to break out of the PCA session to edit files, to
    read mail, or to do any other tasks you would normally do at DCL
    level, all without ending your PCA session.

3  –  Qualifiers

3.1    /NOWAIT 

    Specifies that PCA should not wait for the subprocess to finish.
    You can then enter additional PCA commands while the subprocess
    is running. When the subprocess eventually completes, a message
    is displayed on your terminal. In general, you should not use the
    /NOWAIT qualifier if the spawned subprocess prompts for input or
    displays much output on the terminal.

4  –  Examples 

  PCAC> SPAWN MAIL
  You have 1 new message.
  MAIL> READ\NEW
   . . .
  MAIL> EXIT
  %PCA-I-RETURNED, control returned to process CARRELL
  PCAC>

      This command spawns a subprocess that runs the MAIL program.
      When you exit from MAIL, you return to the original PCA
      session.

  PCAC> SPAWN
  $ TYPE MUMBLE.DAT
   . . .
  $ LOGOUT
         Process CARRELL_1 logged out at 29-FEB-1985 14:10:43.55
  %PCA-I-RETURNED, control returned to process CARRELL
  PCAC>

      This command spawns a subprocess. Since you did not specify a
      DCL command on the SPAWN command, the subprocess prompts for
      DCL commands. When you log out of the subprocess, you return to
      the PCA session.
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