man amin (Commandes) - notify writers that you are busy
NAME
amin - notify writers that you are busy
SYNOPSIS
amin [-ynesp] command [args...]
DESCRIPTION
Amin is used when you don't want to be written while running a command. It runs the command given normally. If your message permissions (see mesg(1)) are off, it does nothing much else. If your messages are on, people writing you with write(1) will be warned that you are running that command and will be given the opportunity to change their minds about writing you.
The -n option may be used to turn your messages entirely off for the duration of the execution of command. People writing you will get "Permission denied". The -y option turns your message permissions on for the duration of the execution of the command. The -e may be used after either -n or -y to indicate that the logins listed in the .yeswrite or the .nowrite files respectively are exceptions to the message permissions set. The default is -s which leaves your message permissions in their original state. In any case, after the command is complete, your permissions will be restored to the original state.
The -p flag causes all telegrams sent to you while the command is running to be saved. They are displayed as soon as the command is complete. If used with the -n flag, writes are refused, but telegrams are still saved.
If you have designated yourself as a helper, you will still be marked on the finger(1) output as a helper while you are running amin but people doing ``write help'' will not be connected to you, even if you have the helper flag set to ``Y''.
AUTHOR
Jan Wolter
FILES
/etc/wrttmp to find message permissions
/etc/utmp to find user