1  SPAWN
   Creates a subprocess of the current process. The context of the
   subprocess is copied from the current process. You can use the
   SPAWN command to leave Mail temporarily, perform other functions
   (such as displaying a directory listing or printing a file), and
   then return to Mail.

   Format

     SPAWN  [command]
 

2  Parameter
 

command

   Specifies the DCL command string that executes in the context
   of the created subprocess. When the command completes, the
   subprocess terminates and control is returned to the parent
   process. If this parameter is not specified, a subprocess is
   created that transfers control to DCL command level.
 

2  Qualifiers
 

/INPUT

      /INPUT=file-spec

   Specifies an input file containing one or more DCL command
   strings to be executed by the spawned subprocess. If you specify
   a command string along with an input file, the command string is
   processed before the commands in the input file. Once processing
   is complete, the subprocess is terminated.
 

/LOGICAL_NAMES

      /LOGICAL_NAMES
      /NOLOGICAL_NAMES

   Specifies that the logical names of the parent process are to be
   copied to the subprocess. When you do not want the subprocess to
   use the logical names of the parent process, enter the qualifier
   /NOLOGICAL_NAMES. The default is /LOGICAL_NAMES.
 

/OUTPUT

      /OUTPUT=file-spec

   Identifies the output file to which the results of the SPAWN
   operation are written. Whenever you use the /NOWAIT qualifier,
   you should also use the /OUTPUT qualifier to specify a new
   output destination. Doing so prevents output from being displayed
   while you are specifying new commands. If you omit the /OUTPUT
   qualifier, output is written by default to the current SYS$OUTPUT
   device.
 

/PROCESS

      /PROCESS=subprocess-name

   Specifies the name of the subprocess to be created. The default
   name of the subprocess is USERNAME_n. If the subprocess name
   contains spaces or special characters, or is case-sensitive, then
   the subprocess name must be enclosed in quotation marks.
 

/SYMBOLS

      /SYMBOLS
      /NOSYMBOLS

   Determines whether the system passes DCL global and local symbols
   to the subprocess. The default is /SYMBOLS.
 

/WAIT

      /WAIT
      /NOWAIT

   Controls whether the system waits until the subprocess is
   completed before allowing more commands to be specified. The
   /NOWAIT qualifier allows you to specify new commands while the
   specified subprocess is running. If you specify /NOWAIT, you
   should also use the /OUTPUT qualifier to direct the output stream
   to a file, rather than displaying it on your terminal. Doing so
   prevents your terminal from being used by more than one process
   simultaneously.
 

2  Examples

   1.MAIL> SPAWN SHOW TIME

     This example shows how to create a subprocess that executes the
     DCL command SHOW TIME while you are using Mail.

   2.MAIL> SPAWN /NOLOGICAL_NAMES SET HOST
     _Node: MARS
        .
        .
        .
     $ LOGOUT
     CRAMMER logged out at ...

     %REM-S-END, control returned to node _BETA::

     MAIL>

     This example shows how to use the SPAWN command to create a
     subprocess in which you SET HOST to another node. When you want
     to leave node MARS and move back to node BETA, enter the DCL
     command LOGOUT. The /NOLOGICAL_NAMES qualifier prevents the
     logical names of the parent process from being copied to the
     subprocess.