Bash assignment

lowpro2k3 · 03-25-2005, 04:58 PM

Me and bash arent getting along too well.

My script is supposed to read in a username option and display processes owned by that user. Example:

Code:

[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u rpcuser
rpcuser      642    0.0   0.1    1600   etc...

My script just sends the username flag to a ps aux | grep $USER_NAME command in the script. That works fine, but now I have to satisfy the requirement that if the user isnt found, it looks like this:

Code:

[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u foo
Not found!

When life was good an hour ago, I output a table row then ran the grep command. I spent alot of time formatting a printf statement to look the exact same as the ps aux table row. Now that I have this requirement i didnt notice, I'm trying to test if the ps aux | grep commands return anything, before I do any outputting (exiting if there is no user).

I decided to use the grep -q switch for my tests. It suppresses output and stops scanning after the first match. This seems (or seemed) ideal for my use. Note the simple regexp i use below, and how I use the grep -q at the cmd-line

Code:

[prompt@box dir]$ ps aux | grep -q "^root "
[prompt@box dir]$ echo $?
0
[prompt@box dir]$ ps aux | grep -q "^rootttteeer "
[prompt@box dir]$ echo $?
1

So in my script, I'm trying to say something like this (which isn't working properly)

Code:

testone=`ps aux | grep -q "^$USER_INPUT "`
if [ ! "testone" ]
then
    echo "Not found!"
    exit 1
fi


displayTableRow    # call function to output formatted table row
ps aux | grep "^$USER_INPUT "






# Pretend we're back at the cmd-line - running the script.
# This is the output I keep getting and I'm getting mad
[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u rpcuser
Not found!
[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u myusername
Not found!
[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u user_that_doesnt_exist
Not found!
[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u root
Not found!

I dont get it...

TheLinuxDuck · 03-25-2005, 05:11 PM

In the []'s, the variable name is missing the $. (=

But, try this test, instead:

Code:

if [ "$?" == "1" ]; then
  echo "Not found!"
  exit 1
fi

lowpro2k3 · 03-25-2005, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheLinuxDuck
In the []'s, the variable name is missing the $. (=

Your right, but in my code I wasnt missing it.

Quote:

Originally posted by TheLinuxDuck
But, try this test, instead:

Code:

if [ "$?" == "1" ]; then echo "Not found!" exit 1 fi

That provided some interesting changes. Now I'm finding usernames again, but I'm never getting into the body of the if test.

Example:

Code:

[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u root
USER       PID %CPU %MEM   VSZ  RSS TTY      STAT START   TIME COMMAND
----------------------------------------------------------------------
root         1  0.0  0.0  1416  456 ?        S    Mar17   0:04 init
root         2  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   0:00 [keventd]
root         3  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   0:00 [kapmd]
root         4  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SWN  Mar17   0:00 [ksoftirqd_CPU0]
root         5  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   0:00 [kswapd]
root         6  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   0:00 [kscand/DMA]
root         7  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   3:24 [kscand/Normal]
root         8  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   Mar17   0:00 [kscand/HighMem]
etc...
[prompt@box dir]$ ./ps+ -u rooooooooooooot
USER       PID %CPU %MEM   VSZ  RSS TTY      STAT START   TIME COMMAND

I tried a few variations on your syntax, and still can't get it. I also tried not using a variable, and simply plunking the ps aux | grep $USER_NAME command right into an if statement. I cant get the right functionality...

Also I'm using the textbook "UNIX Shells by Example, 4th edition (with Linux coverage)" I'm trying to find some examples in here as I try and debug this mess...

TheLinuxDuck · 03-25-2005, 05:39 PM

The test I posted works, but only if the ps | grep line is the last comand executed right before checking the contents of $?. $? is reset if anything else occurs. here is a variation that protects the contents of $? by assigning it to testone:

Code:

#!/bin/bash

ps aux | grep -q "^$1 "
testone=$?

if [ "$testone" == "1" ]; then
    echo "Not found!"
    exit 1
fi

And in action:

Code:

~/bash> ./finduser.sh foo
Not found!
~/bash> ./finduser.sh root
~/bash>

lowpro2k3 · 03-25-2005, 06:24 PM

Bingo, thanks alot for your help!