What is 2> ?

rtaft · 03-12-2007, 08:40 AM

Google and other search engines are useless when I search for something so simple like 2>. But I see this being used in init scripts, and was cusrious what it meant, ie:

someprocess > /dev/null 2> /dev/null

I am guessing it's for error output, but I'm not 100% sure.

jtshaw · 03-12-2007, 08:45 AM

Your right, that redirects both stdout and stderr to /dev/null so it doesn't show up on screen during the boot process.

MOS JEFF-INITELY · 03-12-2007, 10:12 AM

you can do this several ways .. if you want to append to a file possibly a log file that would contain STDOUT and STDERR

someprocess >> somelogfile 2>&1
or of course the same command you have written a different way
someprocess > /dev/null 2>&1
someprocess &> /dev/null

2>&1 redirects STDERR to STDOUT

2> STDERR
1> STDOUT

Edit** for google try searching for 'STDOUT redirect' 'linux redirect' or something along those lines

reddazz · 03-12-2007, 11:10 AM

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Linux General and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

iamnothere · 03-12-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

someprocess 2>&1 >/dev/null

Actually, this last one is not the same. Redirections occur in strictly left to right order, so first stderr is redirectly to stdout (i.e. the terminal), then stdout is redirected to /dev/null, but this does NOT affect stderr, which is still directed to the terminal.

Standard Streams.