How can I start a program from tty1 console text mode to be executed in tty2 console text mode?

Actualy I would like to start a program (chat client cli program) in tty8 automaticaly when linux PC boots.

Thank you

Using GNU's screen is an option?

If so, you can start screen automatically on startup, using a specific screenrc configuration file, that automatically runs your chat program, and then detaches. That means that your screen will be running your chat on background, and you can pop it up on any tty you'd like.

The relevant .screenrc lines should be:

screen
stuff "my_chat_program^M"
detach

(The ^M is to feed a newline char to the command. If you want/need more commands, say cmd1 and cmd2, do:
stuff "cmd1;cmd2^M").

Once started, a screen session with this rc will auto-detach. To resume it, you have to call screen with the -r option. (If you get stuck with multiple screens, use -xRR which will most often than not do the trick - check the manual).

I can start the program in background using /etc/inittab but I dont know how to pop it up on a specific tty.
My linux pc does not have the graphical interface installed, only command line.

The GNU screen program works both in graphical and console terminals, so it should work in your setup.

Also, I do not know how to foreground a program ran in background through inittab. AFAIK, the background/foreground facility is built into bash (maybe in other shells also?), and each tty has its separate bash instance.

That is why you can't background something in tty1 with ctrl+z and foreground it on tty2 with "fg %program", though that would be really useful for you.

Screen does this and much more, I really recommend you give it a try, it will solve your problem and supply you with an invaluable GNU/Linux tool.

1 members found this post helpful.

I found this is working also:

vim /etc/inittab

5:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -n -l /opt/myprogram 38400 tty5 linux

Clever! You added the myprogram invocation to the tty spawner. When you quit myprogram, do you get a shell or does myprogram respawns? (IOW does tty5 becomes "locked" in a chat screen?)

Anyway, congrats!

YES, this is exactly what I need. I have the first console with the main program (ALT+F1) and (ALT+F8) is using all the time the chat program for SUPPORT on the main program. The chat clients will connect on a central server (Openfire).
Clever?