--- name: "rungetty" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "rungetty" version: "1.2-16.3" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/rungetty" --- # rungetty(8) a minimal console getty that can run any process ## NAME rungetty - a minimal console getty that can run any process ## SYNOPSIS **rungetty** \[--noclear\] \[--long-hostname\] \[-u *username*\] \[-g *group*\] \[-w *path*\] \[-n *priority*\] \[--prompt \[=string\]\] \[-d *n*\] \[--autologin *username*\] *tty* \[--\] \[command\] \[arguments\] ## DESCRIPTION **rungetty** is a getty for use on virtual consoles which has the ability to run any program, not just [**login**(1)](/login/1.md). Like [**mingetty**(8)](/mingetty/8.md), on which **rungetty** is based, **rungetty** isn't suitable for serial use. Both I and the author of [**mingetty**(8)](/mingetty/8.md) recommend [**mgetty**(8)](/mgetty/8.md) for that. It is useful, though, for keeping programs such as, say, [**telnet**(1)](/telnet/1.md), running at all times. When running a program other than login, it is executed as the user and group **nobody**, or the user specified by *username* and group specified by *group*. ## OPTIONS - **--noclear** Do not clear the screen before prompting for the login name (the screen is normally cleared). - **--long-hostname** By default the hostname is only printed until the first dot. With this option enabled, the full text from gethostname() is shown. - **-u username** By default, rungetty runs programs as nobody. With this option, it runs as the user *username*. - **-g group** By default, rungetty runs as the group nobody. This option allows you to tell rungetty to run programs as the group *group*. - **--prompt \[=string\]** This option causes rungetty to wait until user input (usually an 'Enter') before executing the program. If *string* is specified, it will be displayed. Otherwise, a default prompt will be shown. - **-n n** ´nice´ value of specified program. - **-w path** Working directory of specified program. - **-d n** Specifying -d will make rungetty wait *n* seconds before running the specified program. - **--autologin username** Log the specified user onto the console (normally */dev/tty1*) when the system is first booted without prompting for a username or password. - When the autologin option is supplied, **rungetty** will check that the controlling terminal is the console (normally */dev/tty1*), that a reasonable username has been supplied, and that this is the first autologin request since the system has booted. If all of these conditions have been met, a request for an unauthenticated login is passed to the **login** program. Otherwise, a normal interactive login is performed. - The **login** program may deny the request for an unauthenticated login. Typically this will happen when the user is root, has a UID of 0, or whenever a normal interactive login would be denied due to the access restrictions specified in the *nologin*, *usertty*, or *securetty* files. - Only a single autologin request will be issued after a system boot. If the automated login request is denied, or if the user logs out, **rungetty** will revert to performing normal interactive logins for all subsequent login requests. - **--** Tells **rungetty** that there are no more options to parse, useful for passing arguments with a - in them to the external program. ## ARGUMENTS - *tty* Name of the tty to run on. - *command* Runs specified *command*. Searches for command in **/bin**, **/usr/bin**, **/usr/ucb**, **/usr/local/bin** if the complete pathname and filename are not given. - *\[arguments\]* Command line arguments to pass to *command*. ## ISSUE ESCAPES **rungetty** recognizes the following escape sequences which might be embedded in the */etc/issue* file: - **\\d** insert current day (localtime), - **\\l** insert line on which **rungetty** is running, - **\\m** inserts machine architecture (uname -m), - **\\n** inserts machine's network node hostname (uname -n), - **\\o** inserts domain name, - **\\r** inserts operating system release (uname -r), - **\\t** insert current time (localtime), - **\\s** inserts operating system name, - **\\u** resp. **\\U** the current number of users which are currently logged in. \\U inserts "*n* users", where as \\u only inserts "*n*". - **\\v** inserts operating system version (uname -v). ## EXAMPLE In **/etc/inittab**, these lines:\ \ **r1:12345:respawn:/sbin/rungetty tty1**\ **r2:2345:respawn:/sbin/rungetty tty2 telnet mail.foo.com**\ **r3:2345:respawn:/sbin/rungetty tty3 -u support top**\ **r4:2345:respawn:/sbin/rungetty tty4 -n 20 -w /etc rc5des**\ Would run a local login on **/dev/tty1**,**a** [**telnet**(1)](/telnet/1.md) session to mail.foo.com on **/dev/tty2**,**and** **top**(5)**on** **/dev/tty3**. Note that [**telnet**(1)](/telnet/1.md) is run as user **nobody**, while **top**(5) is run as user **support**, and start the program **rc5des**(5) at the lowest priority level with a current directory of **/etc**. ## FILES */etc/issue*, */var/run/utmp*, */var/log/autologin*. ## BUG REPORTS Please send all bug reports to **jake@nodomainname.net**. ## BUGS There are no known bugs. ## SEE ALSO [**mingetty**(8)](/mingetty/8.md), [**mgetty**(8)](/mgetty/8.md). ## AUTHOR Copyright © 1999 Jakob Kaivo \.