dtaction(1) UNIX System V (1 August 1995) dtaction(1)
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:
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
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.
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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 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
conform to the format specified in dtactionfile(4).
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variable affects the execution of
dtaction:
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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).
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