Ref Sec34.

SPAWN

Executes a command line (Unix shell) command from within Ferret. 

yes? SPAWN unix_shell_command

Example:

yes? SPAWN rm -f file.dat

Also, "SPAWN shell_name" allows the user to fork into an interactive shell. For example:

yes? SPAWN csh

enters the user into a c-shell. Use EXIT to return to Ferret.

SPAWN is disallowed when Ferret was started in secure mode with

> ferret -secure