4.3BSD-UWisc/man/cat3/fork.3f

FORK(3F)            UNIX Programmer's Manual             FORK(3F)



NAME
     fork - create a copy of this process

SYNOPSIS
     integer function fork()

DESCRIPTION
     _F_o_r_k creates a copy of the calling process.  The only dis-
     tinction between the 2 processes is that the value returned
     to one of them (referred to as the `parent' process) will be
     the process id of the copy.  The copy is usually referred to
     as the `child' process.  The value returned to the `child'
     process will be zero.

     All logical units open for writing are flushed before the
     fork to avoid duplication of the contents of I/O buffers in
     the external file(s).

     If the returned value is negative, it indicates an error and
     will be the negation of the system error code.  See
     perror(3F).

     A corresponding _e_x_e_c routine has not been provided because
     there is no satisfactory way to retain open logical units
     across the exec.  However, the usual function of _f_o_r_k/_e_x_e_c
     can be performed using _s_y_s_t_e_m(3F).

FILES
     /usr/lib/libU77.a

SEE ALSO
     fork(2), wait(3F), kill(3F), system(3F), perror(3F)























Printed 12/27/86          May 27, 1986                          1