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Why am i receiving too many argument error with this?

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# 1  
Old 10-26-2010
Why am i receiving too many argument error with this?
Code:
#!/bin/bash
while [ `ps -ef | grep firefox-bin` ]
do
codes
done

it says line 2: [: too many arguments
why?
Last edited by pludi; 10-27-2010 at 04:10 AM..
# 2  
Old 10-26-2010
output of ps is going into test ([) eg:

Code:
[ root   2104    1   con 09:05:06   /usr/local/bin/firfox-bin  root   2106 2104   con 09:05:06   /usr/local/bin/firfox-bin ]

Perhaps this is something more like what you wanted:

Code:
ps -ef | grep firfox-bin | while read ps_line
do
    codes (that uses $ps_line)
done

Last edited by Chubler_XL; 10-26-2010 at 09:11 PM.. Reason: fix typos
# 3  
Old 10-26-2010
Code:
while ( ps -ef | grep firefox-bin | grep -v grep 2>/dev/null )
do
     code
done

code will be executed as long as the grep find the pattern in the process list so (i suppose) as long as some firefox processes are found
Last edited by ctsgnb; 10-26-2010 at 09:38 PM..
# 4  
Old 10-26-2010
lolz Smilie
i'm really learning alot now. thanks to you both
# 5  
Old 10-26-2010
Or:
Code:
while ps -ef | grep -q [f]irefox-bin
do
   sleep 10
done

The use of square brackets is important or grep may grep itself.
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