4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat3/fork.0

FORK(3F)                                                              FORK(3F)


NAME
       fork - create a copy of this process

SYNOPSIS
       integer function fork()

DESCRIPTION
       Fork  creates  a  copy  of  the  calling process.  The only distinction
       between the 2 processes is that the  value  returned  to  one  of  them
       (referred  to  as  the  ‘parent’ process) will be the process id of the
       copy.  The copy is usually referred to as  the  ‘child’  process.   The
       value returned to the ‘child’ process will be zero.

       All logical units open for writing are flushed before the fork to avoid
       duplication of the contents of I/O buffers in the external file(s).

       If the returned value is negative, it indicates an error  and  will  be
       the negation of the system error code.  See perror(3F).

       A  corresponding exec routine has not been provided because there is no
       satisfactory way to retain open logical units across  the  exec.   How‐
       ever,  the  usual  function  of  fork/exec  can be performed using sys���
       tem(3F).

FILES
       /usr/lib/libU77.a

SEE ALSO
       fork(2), wait(3F), kill(3F), system(3F), perror(3F)


4.2 Berkeley Distribution        May 27, 1986                         FORK(3F)