Run When Done

May 20th, 2014
tech
If you want to run a command when another finishes, the shell can do that for you:
    $ long_running_process.sh && echo "runs on success"
    $ long_running_process.sh || echo "runs on failure"
    $ long_running_process.sh ;  echo "runs either way"
One common thing to do this with is email, so you get a notification:
    $ long_running_process.sh ; echo done | mail -s done jeff@jefftk.com
(This does require your server to be set up for sending mail in a way that won't get rejected, which is actually kind of tricky.)

For years, though, I've gotten annoyed at myself when after a process has been running for a while I wish I had set something else to run after it. Should I kill the process and start it over with && something_else.sh, or should I let it finish and then run something_else.sh on my own?

It turns out you don't have to choose! Shell job control can do this for you. Just background the first command, and then when you foreground it add the next command:

    $ sleep 10
    ^Z
    [1]+  Stopped                 sleep 10
    $ fg ; echo "finished, exit status is $?"
    sleep 10
(a few seconds of waiting)
    finished, exit status is 0
You can see fg substitutes for the original command, running as long as it would, and passing along the exit status so && and || still work.

Comment via: google plus, facebook, substack

Recent posts on blogs I like:

American effective altruists should probably donate to political candidates

My recommendation for donors who are American citizens or permanent residents is that they donate directly to high-value political candidates.

via Thing of Things December 28, 2025

Opinionated takes on parenting

This post is a collection of parenting takes that sometimes go through my head, based on my experience raising our two boys (5 and 2 years old). All of this is based on my experience and might not apply to others (see the law of equal and opposite advice)…

via Victoria Krakovna December 16, 2025

How to Make a Christmas Wreath

Yesterday, I made a Christmas wreath. Here's how to make one. First, find an evergreen tree near your house. Clip off a few branches from the tree. Try to have as many leaves or needles on the branches as possible. Next, bring them home. What I usu…

via Anna Wise's Blog Posts December 6, 2025

more     (via openring)