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.
                   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:

             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).