.TH enable "" "" Command
.PC "Enable a port"
\fB/etc/enable\fI port...\fR
.PP
The \*(CO system is a multiuser operating system;
it allows many users to use the system simultaneously.
An asynchronous communication
.I port
connects each user to the system,
normally by a terminal or a modem attached to the port.
The system communicates with the port by means of a character
special file in directory
.BR /dev ,
such as \fB/dev/com3r\fR or \fB/dev/com2l\fR.
.PP
The \*(CO system
will not allow a user to log in on a port until the system creates a
.I "login process"
for the port.
The
.B enable
command tells the system to create a login process for each given
.IR port .
For example, the command
.DM
	/etc/enable com1r
.DE
.PP
enables port
.BR /dev/com1r .
.PP
.B enable
changes the entry for each given
.I port
in the terminal characteristics file
.BR /etc/ttys .
The baud rate specified in
.B /etc/ttys
must be the appropriate baud rate for the terminal or modem
connected to the port.
See the Lexicon entry for
.B ttys
for more information.
.PP
The command
.B disable
disables a port.
The command
.B ttystat
checks whether a port is enabled or disabled.
.SH Files
\fB/etc/ttys\fR \(em Terminal characteristics file
.br
\fB/dev/com\fI*\fR \(em Devices serial ports
.SH "See Also"
.Xr "asy," asy
.Xr "commands," commands
.Xr "disable," disable
.Xr "getty," getty
.Xr "login," login
.Xr "ttys," ttys
.Xr "ttystat" ttystat
.SH Diagnostics
.B enable
normally returns one if it enables the
.I port
successfully and zero if not.
If more than one
.I port
is specified,
.B enable
returns the success or failure status of the last port it finds.
It returns \-1
if it cannot find any given
.IR port .
An exit status of \-2 indicates an error.
.SH Notes
It is not recommended that you attempt to enable a port that is already
enabled.
To make sure, run
.B /etc/disable
before running
.BR /etc/enable .
