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simexec/simexec.1

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+.TH SIMEXEC 1
+
+.SH NAME
+
+simexec \(en execute a program with the given argv
+
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+
+simexec
+.RB [ pathname ]
+.RB [ argv... ]
+
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+
+Simexec executes a given program with the given argv.
+
+.SH PITFALLS
+
+Non-binary programs cannot be executed. The PATH environment variable is not used and a valid pathname (relative or absolute) must be specified.
+.PP
+Simexec relies on the user to take proper precautions.
+argv is not just the operands for the program but in fact directly the argv it will receive in runtime;
+the first argv entry is the program's name, and forgoing this, though acceptable by simexec, can break customary assumptions.
+for example, the true(1) implementation in the GNU coreutils suffers a segmentation fault if there is no argv[0].
+.PP
+While POSIX.1-2017 doesn't mandate there being an argv[0] per se a Strictly Conforming POSIX Application must pass an argv[0].
+It has also been said that those who do not pass an argv[0] are mean and nasty and smell of elderberries.
+.PP
+Simexec directly uses the execv library function. It cannot execute shell scripts intelligently (via shebang).
+It is inadviseable to use simexec as an alternative to simply calling a program, and in fact probably inadviseable to use simexec at all.
+
+.SH DIAGNOSTICS
+
+Simexec returns the value of execv(3), which will be -1 (or 0xFF; 255) if an error occurs.
+This is not distinguishable from the executed program returning the same exit status.
+.PP
+Simexec will print a error message and return the proper sysexits(3) value if used in an invalid manner.
+
+.SH COPYRIGHT
+
+Public domain.
+
+.SH SEE ALSO
+
+exec(3)
+.PP
+The C89 standard's draft, section 2.1.2.2: "Hosted environment".
+.PP
+POSIX.1-2017 System Interfaces: execv. Particularly under the RATIONALE section header.