I'm using ps command to read a snapshot of the current processes under Unix / Linux operating systems. However, ps -e or ps aux only displays command / processes names. I need to see complete information about the process including all parameters passed to it. How do I see it under Unix / Linux using ps command?
To see every process on the Unix like system use the following standard syntax:
ps -e ps -ef ps -eF ps -ely ps axu
Sample outputs:
UID PID PPID C SZ RSS PSR STIME TTY TIME CMD root 1 0 0 2101 792 6 11:17 ? 00:00:02 init [2] root 2 0 0 0 0 1 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [kthreadd] root 3 2 0 0 0 0 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [ksoftirqd/0] root 6 2 0 0 0 0 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [migration/0] root 7 2 0 0 0 0 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [watchdog/0] root 8 2 0 0 0 1 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [migration/1] root 10 2 0 0 0 1 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [ksoftirqd/1] root 12 2 0 0 0 1 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [watchdog/1] root 13 2 0 0 0 2 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [migration/2] root 15 2 0 0 0 2 11:17 ? 00:00:00 [ksoftirqd/2] .... .... .. vivek 3633 2901 0 223266 82628 5 11:43 ? 00:00:01 /opt/google/chrome/chrome --type=renderer --lang=en-US --force-fieldtest=CacheListSize/CacheLi vivek 3641 3005 0 5563 5028 0 11:43 pts/2 00:00:00 bash root 3756 2 0 0 0 4 11:44 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/4:2] root 3757 2 0 0 0 6 11:44 ? 00:00:02 [kworker/6:0] root 3781 2 0 0 0 0 11:46 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/0:0] root 3789 2 0 0 0 3 11:46 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/3:0] root 3994 2 0 0 0 2 11:48 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/2:0]
However, this will not display all command line args passed to the command due to screen size limitations. You need to add 'ww' after aux, as follows for complete information about the process including all command line parameters:
ps auxww
Sample outputs:
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND root 1 0.1 0.0 8404 792 ? Ss 11:17 0:02 init [2] root 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [kthreadd] root 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [ksoftirqd/0] root 6 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [migration/0] root 7 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [watchdog/0] root 8 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [migration/1] root 10 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [ksoftirqd/1] root 12 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [watchdog/1] root 13 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:17 0:00 [migration/2] .... ..... .. root 1705 0.0 0.0 70340 4200 ? Ss 11:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/NetworkManager root 1711 0.0 0.0 59936 2524 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/modem-manager bind 1713 0.0 0.4 256904 32532 ? Ssl 11:19 0:01 /usr/sbin/named -u bind root 1755 0.0 0.0 28312 1976 ? S 11:19 0:00 /sbin/wpa_supplicant -u -s root 1758 0.0 0.0 24340 1168 ? S 11:19 0:00 hald-addon-input: Listening on /dev/input/event17 /dev/input/event10 /dev/input/event0 /dev/input/event4 /dev/input/event3 /dev/input/event1 /dev/input/event7 /dev/input/event6 /dev/input/event8 /dev/input/event5 /dev/input/event15 root 1767 0.0 0.0 24332 1168 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/hald-addon-generic-backlight root 1768 0.0 0.0 24332 1168 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/hald-addon-rfkill-killswitch www-data 1782 0.0 0.0 58156 1352 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/lighttpd -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf www-data 1790 0.0 0.0 92828 7568 ? Ss 11:19 0:00 /usr/bin/php-cgi root 1795 0.0 0.0 24336 1396 ? S 11:19 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/sr0 (every 2 sec) root 1801 0.0 0.0 24348 1172 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/lib/hal/hald-addon-cpufreq 111 1802 0.0 0.0 26156 1236 ? S 11:19 0:00 hald-addon-acpi: listening on acpid socket /var/run/acpid.socket root 1815 0.0 0.0 4004 624 ? S 11:19 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe www-data 1937 0.0 0.0 92828 3224 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/bin/php-cgi www-data 1938 0.0 0.0 92828 3224 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/bin/php-cgi www-data 1939 0.0 0.0 92828 3224 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/bin/php-cgi www-data 1940 0.0 0.0 92828 3224 ? S 11:19 0:00 /usr/bin/php-cgi mysql 1942 0.0 0.4 172232 33108 ? Sl 11:19 0:01 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql --pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid --socket=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock --port=3306 root 1943 0.0 0.0 3904 588 ? S 11:19 0:00 logger -t mysqld -p daemon.error root 2008 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 11:19 0:00 [kworker/1:2] root 2083 0.0 0.0 74304 2992 ? Sl 11:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/gdm3 root 2096 0.0 0.0 99764 4264 ? Sl 11:19 0:00 /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-simple-slave --display-id /org/gnome/DisplayManager/Display1 root 2106 2.5 2.7 313204 222816 tty7 Ss+ 11:19 0:52 /usr/bin/Xorg :0 -br -verbose -audit 0 -novtswitch -auth /var/run/gdm3/auth-for-Debian-gdm-sioDyr/database -nolisten tcp vt7
The -w option is for wide output. Use this option twice for unlimited width. You can use shell pipes to filter output as follows:
$ ps auxww | grep pid
$ ps auxww | grep mysqld
$ ps auxww | grep --color mysqld
Sample outputs:
Fig.01: ps auxww in Action ( click to enlarge )
Controlling ps Output
The -o option to ps command can be used to see ouput in user-defined format. In this example, see every process with a user-defined format:
ps -eo pid,tid,class,rtprio,ni,pri,psr,pcpu,stat,wchan:14,comm ps axo stat,euid,ruid,tty,tpgid,sess,pgrp,ppid,pid,pcpu,comm ps -eopid,tt,user,fname,tmout,f,wchan
You can only see PID, command and its args using the following format:
ps axo pid,command,args
Sample outputs:
Fig.02: Unix / Linux ps command output format control command
A Note About Default Output Format
Set PS_FORMAT shell variable to override default output format. You may set this to a format string of the type used for the -o option.
export PS_FORMAT=pid,command,args ps auxww
You should follow me on twitter here or grab rss feed to keep track of new changes.
Featured Articles:
- 30 Handy Bash Shell Aliases For Linux / Unix / Mac OS X
- Top 30 Nmap Command Examples For Sys/Network Admins
- 25 PHP Security Best Practices For Sys Admins
- 20 Linux System Monitoring Tools Every SysAdmin Should Know
- 20 Linux Server Hardening Security Tips
- Linux: 20 Iptables Examples For New SysAdmins
- Top 20 OpenSSH Server Best Security Practices
- Top 20 Nginx WebServer Best Security Practices
- 20 Examples: Make Sure Unix / Linux Configuration Files Are Free From Syntax Errors
- 15 Greatest Open Source Terminal Applications Of 2012
- My 10 UNIX Command Line Mistakes
- Top 10 Open Source Web-Based Project Management Software
- Top 5 Email Client For Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows Users
- The Novice Guide To Buying A Linux Laptop
![Linux / Unix: Show Shares on NFS Server [ Shared Directories ]](http://s13.cyberciti.org/images/shared/rp/3/28.jpg)
{ 0 comments… add one now }