The SPAWN command creates a subprocess for access to VMS CLI (usually DCL) without terminating the current GDE environment. Use the SPAWN command to suspend a session and issue DCL commands such as DIRECTORY or SHOW LOGICAL.

The format of the SPAWN command is:

    SP[AWN] [DCL command]
    

When you include the optional DCL command, the SPAWN command spawns a sub-process, executes the DCL command, and returns the terminal to the GDE> prompt. If SPAWN has no DCL command to execute, it completes the spawning of the sub-process and leaves the terminal at the OpenVMS CLI prompt.

Example:

    GDE> SPAWN "DIR *.DAT"
    

This command invokes a OpenVMS directory listing of all files in the current default directory with a .DAT extension.