SPAWN

SPAWN [ dcl_command ]

SPAWN with parameters concatenates the parameters to form a DCL command. creates a subprocess, and executes the DCL command in the subprocess.

SPAWN with no parameters creates a subprocess in which a series of DCL commands may be executed. Use LOGOUT to return to ICL.

In most cases DCL is a faster alternative to SPAWN as the subprocess does not have to be created for each new command. However SPAWN will do a few things which are not possible under DCL. SPAWNed commands will prompt for their parameters, for example, whereas commands issued using DCL will not.