Exec command

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1

Hi can some one explain the following command , It would really help if some can really elloborate on what is happening out here

export PATH | exec /bin/sh ./auto_approve :q

P.S: This is the first time i am using exec ,so an elloboration what does it do and what is the use of the :q will be really helpful.

Regards
Srikanth

2

This command line just looks like a line of errors to me.
What are you trying to achieve? What is in "auto_approve" and does it react to a parameter ":q" or is that just a typo from someone using "vi" editor?

You probably meant:

export PATH
exec /bin/sh ./auto_approve

The pipe was not needed or desirable.
The "exec" replaces the current Shell with the program named in the argument to "exec" (/sbin/sh).