sending process to background

Robert0380 · 12-29-2002, 07:33 PM

i know if i run a command and attatch & to it, it will run it in the background and give me the prompt back, but lets say i dont start a program that way, and i want to later send it to the background, what is the command for that, i forgot

markus1982 · 12-29-2002, 07:44 PM

Maybe you're looking for the command bg ?

pjcp64 · 12-29-2002, 08:37 PM

You can start running the job interactively,
Ctrl-z will move it into the background, but there's a catch; it'll be stopped.
If its the only job you can type bg and it'll start running again in the background.
If it has a number other than [1] associated with it ( 2 for instance ), you can type bg %2
To move it into the foreground ( you guessed it ) fg -or- fg %2
To list all of the jobs ( you guessed it again ) jobs

Robert0380 · 12-31-2002, 03:01 PM

ok, bg didnt give me my prompt back. is there a way to send it to the background and keep it running?

here is what i'd like to happen:

#gaim
<no prompt but gaim runs>

<some command here to put gaim in the background or to get the prompt back>

#<prompt back, but gaim is still running>

Robert0380 · 12-31-2002, 03:05 PM

just to add, i dont REALLY need an answer to this badly, its just that sometimes i forget to put the & on the end and i was wondering if there were a way to get the prompt back without having to stop and restart the programming just to add the &

Thanks

DavidPhillips · 12-31-2002, 03:33 PM

did you see the post from pjcp64

that's your answer

bg does not give your prompt back, you must have a prompt to run bg

ctrl_z gives the prompt back and stops the job

bg makes it run in the background

same as filename &