new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/liboctave/oct-syscalls.h
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1996, 1997 John W. Eaton
+
+This file is part of Octave.
+
+Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any
+later version.
+
+Octave is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free
+Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+
+*/
+
+#if !defined (octave_syscalls_h)
+#define octave_syscalls_h 1
+
+#include <string>
+
+class string_vector;
+
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_TYPES_H
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#endif
+
+struct
+octave_syscalls
+{
+  static int dup2 (int, int);
+  static int dup2 (int, int, string&);
+
+  static int execvp (const string&, const string_vector&);
+  static int execvp (const string&, const string_vector&, string&);
+
+  static int fcntl (int, int, long);
+  static int fcntl (int, int, long, string&);
+
+  static pid_t fork (string&);
+
+  static pid_t getpgrp (string&);
+
+  static pid_t getpid (void);
+  static pid_t getppid (void);
+
+  static gid_t getgid (void);
+  static gid_t getegid (void);
+
+  static uid_t getuid (void);
+  static uid_t geteuid (void);
+
+  static int pipe (int *);
+  static int pipe (int *, string&);
+
+  static pid_t waitpid (pid_t, int);
+  static pid_t waitpid (pid_t, int, string&);
+};
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/