Being able to run multiple windows becomes very useful when you use
options to run specific commands with your xterm windows.
For example, using xterm -e runs a program inside an
xterm window, so that when the program terminates, the window
closes. Your Unix command is the argument following the -e
option. Here's some examples:
% xterm -e vi .Xdefaults Edit .Xdefaults file in new window. % xterm -e rlogin theo Remote login with new window.
The first line starts up a window running vi .Xdefaults. After you have completed your editing and you terminate vi, the window will close. The second line opens a window which automatically logs you onto the theoretical physics machine theo (as discussed in Chapter 3, Computer-Computer Communications). You can even avoid the hassle of entering your password and user ID when the window opens, if you have the same user ID on both machines and a .rhosts file in your home directory on the remote machine with the name of your local machine in it.
As also discussed in Chapter 3, you can use the commands telnet or tn3270 in a window to log onto machines that do not
have rlogin available. For example, to connect to an IBM
mainframe running the VMS operating system and do it using a
separate window:
% xterm -e tn3270 osuvm Emulate 3270 terminal for VMS.
It is somewhat of a fine point, but one which can be frustrating for
those who care, that when you give commands with xterm, they
run directly without opening a shell (starting an independent command
line interpreter). If you want to run a command inside a shell, you
must explicitly open the shell and then run the command:
% xterm -e /bin/sh -c "ls /usr/*" Open a shell, execute command.
This opens the Borne shell, lists all usr files in a window (the wild card * is evaluated by the shell), and then runs mail for the user. The quotes are optional here but are good practice for those times when several commands are placed on the line as a group.