i have written this program and would like to adapt it so that it would accept 1 to 3 commands and not just 3. and execute the commands if anyone could help it would be most appreciated. 


#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w



pipe PIPEIN1,PIPEOUT1;#pipe1

pipe PIPEIN2,PIPEOUT2;#pipe2

$command1=<STDIN>; # read command 1 from user

        chomp($command1); # remove new line character

 $command2=<STDIN>; # read command 2 from user

        chomp($command2); # remove new line character

 $command3=<STDIN>; # read command 3 from user

        chomp($command3); # remove new line character
if (fork ==0)#child 1

        {
        close PIPEIN1; # close pipe in 1

        close PIPEIN2; # close pipe in 2

        close PIPEOUT2; # close pipe out 2

        close STDOUT; # close standard out

        open STDOUT, ">&PIPEOUT1"; #open standard out and pipe1
        
        exec $command1;
        }
 if (fork==0)#child 2
     {
     close PIPEIN2; #close pipe in 2
     close PIPEOUT1; # close pipe out 1
     close STDIN; # close standard in
     open STDIN, "<&PIPEIN1";# open standard in and pipe1
     close STDOUT; # close standard out
     open STDOUT, ">&PIPEOUT2";# open standard out and pipe 2
     
        exec $command2;
     
     }
 if (fork==0)#child 3
        {
        close PIPEIN1; # close pipe in 1
        close PIPEOUT1; # close pipe out 1
        close PIPEOUT2; # close pipe out 2
        close STDIN; # close standard in
        open STDIN, "<&PIPEIN2"; # open standard in and pipe in 2
        
        exec $command3;
        }
   close PIPEIN1; # close pipe in 1
   close PIPEOUT1; # close pipe out 1
   close PIPEIN2; # close pipe in 2
   close PIPEOUT2; # close pipe out 2
   wait; # wait for child 1 to terminate
   wait; # wait for child 2 to terminate
   wait; # wait for child 3 to terminate

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Edit - Masem added code tags
Edit - ar0n More descriptive title

In reply to Forking Multiple Children by Anonymous Monk

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