commit - fd4494f6c62ce7eaa7cea7fa32df287ee211d49b
commit + 6d3fba0f585933dacf3fe1d7a33775d50777c290
blob - c6cd21097cd649ff946ac33feecf3d9c4691dfd5
blob + 4e1260e87120f412a03d2ee5c15903c37b00fe4b
--- commands.c
+++ commands.c
@@ -1652,8 +1652,13 @@ int_manual(char *ifname, int ifs, int argc, char **arg
 static int
 int_shell(char *ifname, int ifs, int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	shell(argc, argv);
-	return 0; /* do not leave interface context */
+	if (argc >1) 
+	{
+		shell(argc, argv);
+		return 0; /* do not leave interface context after execution */
+	}
+	else
+	return 1; /* this is to allow for pasting configs with "!" separators */
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1757,7 +1762,7 @@ static char
 	setenvhelp[] =	"Set an environment variable",
 	unsetenvhelp[] ="Delete an environment variable",
 	saveenvhelp[] =	"Save environment variables set by setenv to ~/.nshenv",
-	shellhelp[] =	"Invoke a subshell",
+	shellhelp[] =	"Invoke a subshell or run an executable",
 	savehelp[] =	"Save the current configuration",
 	nreboothelp[] =	"Reboot the system",
 	halthelp[] =	"Halt the system",
@@ -2365,8 +2370,10 @@ shell(int argc, char **argv)
 	sigint = signal(SIGINT, SIG_IGN);
 	sigquit = signal(SIGQUIT, SIG_IGN);
 	sigchld = signal(SIGCHLD, SIG_DFL);
-
-	switch(child = fork()) {
+        if (argc <= 1) /* only fork if you have a command or shell to execute*/
+		return 1;
+	else {
+		switch(child = fork()) {
 		case -1:
 			printf("%% fork failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 			break;
@@ -2384,14 +2391,10 @@ shell(int argc, char **argv)
 			 */
 			char *shellp;
 			char *shellname = shellp = "/bin/sh";
-
-			if (argc > 1)
-				execl(shellp, shellname, "-c", &saveline[1],
-				    (char *)NULL);
-			else
-				execl(shellp, shellname, (char *)NULL);
+			execl(shellp, shellname, "-c", &saveline[1],
+				(char *)NULL);
 			printf("%% execl '%s' failed: %s\n", shellp,
-			    strerror(errno));
+				strerror(errno));
 			_exit(0);
 			}
 			break;
@@ -2399,7 +2402,7 @@ shell(int argc, char **argv)
 			signal(SIGALRM, sigalarm);
  			wait(0);  /* Wait for shell to complete */
 			break;
-	}
+		}
 
 	signal(SIGINT, sigint);
 	signal(SIGQUIT, sigquit);
@@ -2408,6 +2411,8 @@ shell(int argc, char **argv)
 	child = -1;
 
 	return 1;
+	}	
+	
 }
 
 /*
blob - 88dd2ed47b47ccea3b21853c987e0b10296e0789
blob + 8ecda1e96860d87bb8d388707477c4ee0e230320
--- nsh.8
+++ nsh.8
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ nsh(p)/help
   verbose       Set verbose diagnostics
   editing       Set command line editing
   who           Display system users
-  !             Invoke a subshell
+  !             Invoke a subshell or run an executable
   ?             Print help information
   quit          Close current connection
 nsh(p)/
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ nsh(bridge-bridge100)/?
   who           Display system users
   verbose       Set verbose diagnostics
   editing       Set command line editing
-  !             Invoke a subshell
+  !             Invoke a subshell or run an executable
   ?             Options
   manual        Display the NSH manual
   exit          Leave bridge config mode and return to global config mode
@@ -2988,14 +2988,27 @@ nsh(p)/no editing
 .Tg sh
 .Tg csh
 .Ic nsh(p)/!
-.Op Cm shell-command
-.Ar argument-1
+.Ar Cm shell-command
+.Op argument-1
 .Op Ar argument-n
 .Pp
-Invoke a shell or run an entered shell-command with arguments if required.
+Invoke a shell or run an entered executable with arguments if required.
 (requires privileged mode).
 The active users login shell is the shell that is invoked by this feature.
-This feature disabled to enhance security.
+This feature can be disabled to restrict users from starting a different
+shell or executable from
+.Nm
+.
+If ! is entered without arguments in privilaged mode or global config mode,
+no operation will be carried out and the user will be returned to the same
+.Nm
+command prompt.
+If ! is entered without arguments in interface or bridge config mode the, 
+no operation will be carried out but the user will be returned to the global
+configuration mode.
+This is to facilitate users interactively copying and pasting
+.Nm
+configurations between devices which would contain the "!" spacing character.
 .Pp
 E.g. list files in /root
 .Bd -literal -offset indent
@@ -3004,9 +3017,9 @@ nsh(p)/!ls /root
 helloworld.c
 helloworld2.c
 
-nsh(p)/!
+nsh(p)/!ksh
 
-OpenBSDshell#
+kshprompt#
 .Ed
 .Pp
 .Tg ip
@@ -3398,7 +3411,7 @@ nsh(interface-em0)/?
   who              Display system users
   verbose          Set verbose diagnostics
   editing          Set command line editing
-  !                Invoke a subshell
+  !                Invoke a subshell or run an executable
   ?                Options
   manual           Display the NSH manual
   exit             Leave interface config mode and return to global config mode