<doc>
  <legacy_id>1368</legacy_id>
  <name>kill</name>
  <type>command</type>
  <syntax>
    <example>kill [<i>signalNumber</i> |<i> signalName</i>] process <i>processName</i></example>
  </syntax>
  <library></library>
  <objects>
  </objects>
  <synonyms>
  </synonyms>
  <classification>
    <category>The System Environment</category>
  </classification>
  <references>
    <command tag="close process">close process Command</command>
    <command tag="open process">open process Command</command>
    <function tag="openProcesses">openProcesses Function</function>
    <function tag="openProcessIDs">openProcessIDs Function</function>
    <function tag="processID">processID Function</function>
    <message tag="signal">signal Message</message>
    <command tag="quit">quit Command</command>
    <command tag="launch">launch Command</command>
    <function tag="sysError">sysError Function</function>
  </references>
  <history>
    <introduced version="1.0">Added.</introduced>
  </history>
  <platforms>
    <mac/>
    <windows/>
    <linux/>
  </platforms>
  <classes>
    <desktop/>
    <server/>
    <web/>
  </classes>
  <security>
    <process/>
  </security>
  <summary>Signals or quits another <glossary tag="process">process</glossary> or application on the same system.</summary>
  <examples>
    <example>kill process "rnews"</example>
    <example>kill 9 process myProcess <code><i>-- terminate with extreme prejudice</i></code></example>
    <example>kill QUIT process it</example>
  </examples>
  <description>
    <p>Use the <b>kill</b> command to send a signal to a <glossary tag="process">process</glossary> (on <glossary tag="Unix">Unix systems</glossary>), or to terminate a <glossary tag="process">process</glossary> with extreme prejudice.</p><p/><p><b>Parameters:</b></p><p>The <i>signalNumber</i> is the number of the <glossary tag="Unix">Unix</glossary> signal to send to the <glossary tag="process">process</glossary>. The <i>signalName</i> is the name of a <glossary tag="Unix">Unix</glossary> signal, minus the leading "SIG". (For example, to send SIGHUP to a <glossary tag="process">process</glossary>, use<code> HUP </code>as the <i>signalName</i>.)  (The <i>signalNumber</i> or <i>signalName</i> <glossary tag="parameter">parameter</glossary> is ignored on <glossary tag="Mac OS">Mac OS</glossary> and <glossary tag="Windows">Windows systems</glossary>.)</p><p/><p>The <i>processName</i> is the name of a currently <glossary tag="execute">executing</glossary> <glossary tag="process">process</glossary>.</p><p/><p><b>Comments:</b></p><p>On Mac OS systems, the <b>kill</b> <glossary tag="command">command</glossary> sends a "Quit Application" <glossary tag="Apple Event">Apple event</glossary> to the specified application.</p><p/><p>On Unix systems, the <b>kill</b> command sends the specified signal to the <glossary tag="process">process</glossary>. If no signal is specified, the <b>kill</b> command sends SIGTERM. Check the <glossary tag="Unix">Unix</glossary> documentation for information about available signals. The <keyword tag="file">file</keyword> <code>/usr/include/sys/signal.h</code> lists signals and their corresponding signal numbers.</p><p/><p>If possible, use the <b>close process</b> command instead of the <b>kill</b> <glossary tag="command">command</glossary> to terminate a <glossary tag="process">process</glossary>. The <b>kill</b> <glossary tag="command">command</glossary> causes an immediate <control_st tag="exit">exit</control_st>, and may prevent the <glossary tag="process">process</glossary> from removing temporary <function tag="files">files</function> or doing other cleanup tasks.</p>
  </description>
</doc>