CODEWITHSUNDEEP
shellpipe
Sepero
Sepero

Reputation: 4677

How to flush all pipes currently running?

I have some piped processes going on in the background that have been running for over a day now.

$ cmd | cmd | cmd | cmd | cmd > file

Is it possible to flush all the pipes so I can see the current state inside the file?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 178

Answers (1)

dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten
dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten

Reputation: 101251

Solution

Compile

#include <stdio.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/errno.h>
int main(int argc, char **argv){
  fflush(NULL);
  if (!errno) sync();
  return errno;
}

to, say, fflush and but it in ~/bin or /opt/bin or /usr/local/bin depending on your personal preference and permissions, make sure this command is in your path and simply use it.

Discussion

The fact that this (simple!) thing does not exist in the usual toolset suggests that it is rarely useful: in general this defeats attempts by the OS to be smart and makes things slow down. Worse, with an extended pipeline like the one you exhibit, it may flush the pipes in the "wrong" order leaving not much more certain of the current progress than you were before.

Upvotes: 2

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