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I have a python based server which i start from the terminal. This particular instance of the terminal then gives control to the program, and the program uses it as a kind of logging window, until its closed. Is this normal, or should i somehow try to start the program some other way in which it will simply show as an active process? If i close the terminal from which i started the program, the program dies with it.

Thank you

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5 Answers 5

32

Turn it to a daemon (service)
daemon --name="yourservicename" --output=log.txt sh yourscript.sh

13

Even old bash is using & for sending processes to background, but there is few other ways too .. but basic two are these :

1.)$~ your_command > outputfile_for_stdout &
        # runs your command in background, giving you only PID so you can exit that process by `kill -9 PID_of_process`
        # & goes at the end of row      


2.)$~ your_command > outputfile_for_stdout 
        # this will run your program normally
        # press  Ctrl + Z then program will pause
   $~ bg
        # now your program is running in background
   $~ fg
        # now your program came back to foreground
3.)you can run terminal window under screen command so it will live until you either kill it or you reboot your machine
   $~ screen
   $~ run_all_your_commands
       # Ctrl + A + D will then detach this screen
   $~ screen -r will reattach it

Some other useful commands :

   $~ jobs
        # will show you all processes running right now, but without PID
   $~ ps
        # will show you all processes for actual terminal window
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  • Hmmm, i was using command 'top' to view processes till now
    – U2ros
    Sep 23, 2012 at 18:19
  • Great solution. Is there way to modify the 1. option so that pid is saved to a file. So a log file and a pid file are generated. Dec 15, 2018 at 21:35
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$ servicename &

Using & causes the program to run in the background, instead of blocking the shell until the program ends.

3
2

You can also use:

start-stop-daemon -SbCv -x your_command

here is init.d script to start and stop a program in the background.

0

From the terminal you could also run screen or follow up you command with &. Easy way to run continuous processes.

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  • just using & to background the process in this case is to little, in my opinion. OP states that his server logs to stdout so, with & his terminal will be cluttered with output. Also since OP mentions closing the terminal, OP will not be able to foreground the process again and all the log-output will be lost. Better, at least, to redirect it to a log file or stick with the screen setup - but then please explain the basics of screento OP (detach/attach/etc) Feb 9, 2018 at 7:55

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