8.2 Invoking the Shell

The shell command interpreter can be invoked as follows:

tcsh  [options ] [arguments ]

tcsh uses syntax resembling C and executes commands from a terminal or a file. The options -n, -v, and -x are useful when debugging scripts.

8.2.1 Options

-b

Allow the remaining command-line options to be interpreted as options to a specified command rather than as options to tcsh.

-c

Read and execute commands specified from the argument that follows and place any remaining arguments in the argv shell variable.

-d

Load directory stack from ~/.cshdirs even if not a login shell.

-e

Exit if a command produces errors.

-f

Fast startup; start without executing .tcshrc.

-i

Invoke interactive shell (prompt for input) even if not on a terminal.

-l

Login shell (must be the only option specified).

-m

Load ~/.tcshrc even if effective user is not the owner of the file.

-n

Parse commands, but do not execute.

-q

Accept SIGQUIT when used under a debugger. Disables job control.

-s

Read commands from the standard input.

-t

Exit after executing one line of input (which may be continued with a \ to escape the newline).

-v

Display commands before executing them; expand history substitutions, but not other substitutions (e.g., filename, variable, and command). Same as setting verbose.

-V

Same as -v, but also display .tcshrc.

-x

Display commands before executing them, but expand all substitutions. Same as setting echo.

-X

Same as -x, but also display .tcshrc.

8.2.2 Arguments

Arguments are assigned, in order, to the positional parameters $1, $2, and so on. If the first argument is an executable script, commands are read from it, and remaining arguments are assigned to $1, $2, and so forth.