exec() method

exec()
#include <unistd.h>
int execl(const char *path, const char *arg0, ... /*, (char*)0 */);
int execv(const char *path, char * const argv[]);
int execle(const char *path, const char *arg0, ... /*, (char*)0, char *const envp[] */);
int execve(const char *path, char *const argv[], char *const envp[]);
int execlp(const char *file, const char *arg0, ... /*, (char*)0 */);
int execvp(const char *file, char * const argv[]);


simple example
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1 #include <stdio.h>
2 #include <unistd.h>
3
4 int main(int argc, char** argv)
5 {
6     pid_t pid;
7     if ((0 == (pid = fork())))
8     {  
9         printf("i am forked process/n");
10        int ret = 0;
11        ret = execl("/usr/bin/wget", "wget", "http://www.google.cn", NULL);
12        if (0 != ret)
13        {  
14            printf("exec application failed, %s/n", strerror(ret));
15        }  
16        printf("child process exit now/n");
17        return 0;
18    }  
19    printf("i am parent process, exit now/n");
20    return 0;
21}
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1. exec and return value
   exec will replace the origin process, so if exec() itself is successfully (no matter what result of the concrete application), there is no return value of the calling process. so the codes after line#11 will not be executed. This is the reason why we usually use exec() in a fork process.
   while if there is an error for exec, the following code will be executed. such as, if the command can't be found.

2. if you wanted get the return status of concrete application, use waitpid() to do it.

 

3. parameters
   to common main function, the complete format is
   int main(int argc, char* argv[], char* env[])
   So exec() methods need (char*)0 for the end of argv, also there is envp parameter in some cases.

   BTW: it is strange that the forked process will effect the parent process if there is no (char*)0.

4. in the execlp() and execvp() methods, we can specify the file as short format, just as following. it will search in the $PATH enviroment
    execlp("wget", "wget", "http://www.google.cn", NULL);