static int backtickToConsole_returnExitCode(S cmd) {
  File outputFile = createTempFile(cmd, ".out");
  makeEmptyFile(outputFile); // unnecessary?
  TailFile tail = tailFile2(outputFile, 1000, f printNoNewLine_fix);
  
  // make a dependent child process that is exited when we exit
  print("Running: " + cmd);
  int exitCode = -1;
  pcall {
    exitCode = backtickToFile(cmd, outputFile).exitValue();
  }
  tail.stop();
  ret exitCode;
}