Using the & command to launch an application and keep the shell

[ngmlinux]

I know the & character can be tagged after an application name to keep the shell prompt (perhaps this opens the app in a new session). However I am not sure how to use this when the app has parameters after it.

For instance, I'm trying to do:

pppd dial mymodem

while keeping my shell usable, however niether

pppd & dial mymodem

nor

pppd dial mymodem &

work. Anyone know the correct syntax to do this?

Thanks.

[drakebasher]

If I do

# gedit /etc/inittab &

it works like I would expect: gedit starts per the argument and the terminal is available once gedit is launched. Maybe pppd doesn't want to play that way....

[Seren]

I know the & character can be tagged after an application name to keep the shell prompt (perhaps this opens the app in a new session).

What it does is that it runs the command in the background. I think you can get the command back into the foreground (and tying up your shell session) with the fg (foreground) command.

[ngmlinux]

Are you suggesting I try something like

pppd & fg dial mymodem

?

[drakebasher]

The ampersand (&) should be at the end of the command. You can translate the '&' to mean "and do (the preceding command) in the background". You do not want "fg" in your command line: that's used only when you want to bring the process (the one you started with "the preceding command") back to the foreground.

Of course the command itself has to be right: if you run 'pppd dial mymodem', do you get the correct results? If so, then I guess you want to enter 'pppd dial mymodem &'. If you don't get the correct results without the '&', you need to look at your command first.

http://linux.about.com/od/glossary/l..._bgprocess.htm

[Seren]

That's right (what drakebasher said).

[ngmlinux]

Command itself runs fine, but doesn't when I add the & to the end.

[Seren]

What happens wrong when you run the command with the & ?

[valan]

pppd updetach dial mymodem

Try that