Imagine you have a text file that contains output of ps -ef.
(you forgot to add --headers option)
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD root 1 0 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:56 /sbin/init root 2 0 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kthreadd] root 3 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_gp] root 4 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_par_gp] root 6 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/0:0H-kblockd] root 9 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [mm_percpu_wq] root 10 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:11 [ksoftirqd/0] root 11 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 [rcu_sched] root 12 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:20 [migration/0] root 13 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [idle_inject/0] root 14 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [cpuhp/0] root 15 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kdevtmpfs] root 16 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [netns] root 17 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_tasks_kthre] root 18 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kauditd] root 19 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [khungtaskd] root 20 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [oom_reaper] root 21 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [writeback] root 22 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kcompactd0] root 23 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ksmd] root 24 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:03 [khugepaged] root 70 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kintegrityd] root 71 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kblockd] root 72 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [blkcg_punt_bio] root 73 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [tpm_dev_wq] root 74 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ata_sff] root 75 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [md] root 76 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [edac-poller] root 77 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [devfreq_wq] root 78 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [watchdogd] root 81 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kswapd0] root 82 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ecryptfs-kthrea] root 84 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kthrotld] root 85 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [acpi_thermal_pm] root 86 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [vfio-irqfd-clea] root 87 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ipv6_addrconf] root 96 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kstrp] root 99 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u3:0] root 112 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [charger_manager] root 146 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [cryptd] root 158 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 [kworker/0:1H-kblockd] root 166 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_0] root 169 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_0] root 172 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_1] root 174 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_1] root 175 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_2] root 177 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_2] root 179 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_3] root 181 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_3] root 182 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_4] root 184 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_4] root 186 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_5] root 188 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_5] root 234 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [raid5wq] root 272 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:09 [jbd2/vda1-8] root 273 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ext4-rsv-conver] root 308 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [hwrng] root 347 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-journald root 372 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:18 /lib/systemd/systemd-udevd root 449 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kaluad] root 450 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpath_rdacd] root 451 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpathd] root 452 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpath_handlerd] root 453 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:02:43 /sbin/multipathd -d -s root 461 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop0] root 466 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop2] root 469 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop4] root 472 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop5] root 475 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop6] systemd+ 499 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-timesyncd systemd+ 551 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 /lib/systemd/systemd-networkd systemd+ 553 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:06 /lib/systemd/systemd-resolved root 589 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:39 /usr/lib/accountsservice/accounts-daemon root 592 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:02 /usr/sbin/cron -f message+ 593 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:10 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only root 600 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/networkd-dispatcher --run-startup-triggers syslog 601 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/rsyslogd -n -iNONE root 609 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-logind root 611 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/udisks2/udisksd daemon 614 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/atd -f root 625 1 0 Apr02 ttyS0 00:00:00 /sbin/agetty -o -p -- \u --keep-baud 115200,38400,9600 ttyS0 vt220 root 628 1 0 Apr02 tty1 00:00:00 /sbin/agetty -o -p -- \u --noclear tty1 linux root 648 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: /usr/sbin/sshd -D [listener] 0 of 10-100 startups root 655 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/policykit-1/polkitd --no-debug root 670 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/share/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrade-shutdown --wait-for-signal root 695 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/squid -sYC proxy 697 695 0 Apr02 ? 00:02:09 (squid-1) --kid squid-1 -sYC proxy 699 697 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 (logfile-daemon) /var/log/squid/access.log root 756 648 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu [priv] ubuntu 763 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /lib/systemd/systemd --user ubuntu 764 763 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 (sd-pam) ubuntu 887 756 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu@notty ubuntu 906 763 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --session --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only root 939 887 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sudo env LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/snap/multipass-sshfs/145/lib /snap/multipass-sshfs/145/bin/sshfs -o slave -o transform_symlinks -o allow_other -o Compression=no -o dcache_timeout=3 :/Users/kyanny /home/ubuntu/Home/. root 940 939 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /snap/multipass-sshfs/145/bin/sshfs -o slave -o transform_symlinks -o allow_other -o Compression=no -o dcache_timeout=3 :/Users/kyanny /home/ubuntu/Home/. root 7874 2 0 Apr03 ? 00:00:00 [loop7] root 9187 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [loop3] root 16859 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [xfsalloc] root 16863 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [xfs_mru_cache] root 26521 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:00 [loop1] root 26571 1 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:06 /usr/lib/snapd/snapd root 26908 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:05 [kworker/0:2-events] root 27009 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:1-events_power_efficient] proxy 27030 697 0 00:00 ? 00:00:00 (pinger) root 27034 2 0 00:00 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:2-events_unbound] root 27085 2 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/0:0-cgroup_destroy] root 27195 648 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu [priv] ubuntu 27268 27195 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu@pts/0 ubuntu 27269 27268 0 00:35 pts/0 00:00:00 -bash root 27295 2 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:0-events_unbound] ubuntu 27359 27269 0 00:40 pts/0 00:00:00 ps -ef
This is not pager friendly because the header disappears in the subsequent pages.
To add the header repeatedly, I wrote a shell function(s).
Using GNU sed (a little troublesome on macOS)
heading(){ local h="$(head -n 1 $1)" # terminal height - header - blank line - less footer local n=$(( $(tput lines) - 3 )) tail -n+2 $1 | gsed "1~${n} i\\\\" | gsed "/^$/ a $h" | gsed '1d' }Not using GNU sed (for platform portability)
heading(){ local h="$(head -n 1 $1)" # terminal height - header - blank line - less footer local n=$(( $(tput lines) - 3 )) tail -n+2 $1 | awk -v n=$n 'NR % n == 1 { print "" }; { print }' | sed "s/^$/\n$h/" | sed '1d' }
It recognizes your terminal height and insert headers into the appropriate places. Much friendly with pager like less.
Usage:
heading ps.txt
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD root 1 0 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:56 /sbin/init root 2 0 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kthreadd] root 3 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_gp] root 4 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_par_gp] root 6 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/0:0H-kblockd] root 9 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [mm_percpu_wq] root 10 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:11 [ksoftirqd/0] root 11 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 [rcu_sched] root 12 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:20 [migration/0] root 13 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [idle_inject/0] root 14 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [cpuhp/0] root 15 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kdevtmpfs] root 16 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [netns] root 17 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [rcu_tasks_kthre] root 18 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kauditd] root 19 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [khungtaskd] root 20 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [oom_reaper] root 21 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [writeback] root 22 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kcompactd0] root 23 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ksmd] root 24 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:03 [khugepaged] root 70 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kintegrityd] root 71 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kblockd] root 72 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [blkcg_punt_bio] root 73 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [tpm_dev_wq] root 74 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ata_sff] root 75 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [md] root 76 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [edac-poller] root 77 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [devfreq_wq] root 78 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [watchdogd] root 81 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kswapd0] root 82 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ecryptfs-kthrea] root 84 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kthrotld] root 85 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [acpi_thermal_pm] root 86 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [vfio-irqfd-clea] root 87 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ipv6_addrconf] root 96 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kstrp] root 99 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u3:0] root 112 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [charger_manager] root 146 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [cryptd] root 158 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 [kworker/0:1H-kblockd] root 166 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_0] root 169 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_0] root 172 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_1] root 174 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_1] root 175 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_2] root 177 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_2] root 179 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_3] UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD root 181 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_3] root 182 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_4] root 184 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_4] root 186 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_eh_5] root 188 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [scsi_tmf_5] root 234 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [raid5wq] root 272 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:09 [jbd2/vda1-8] root 273 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [ext4-rsv-conver] root 308 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [hwrng] root 347 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-journald root 372 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:18 /lib/systemd/systemd-udevd root 449 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kaluad] root 450 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpath_rdacd] root 451 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpathd] root 452 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [kmpath_handlerd] root 453 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:02:43 /sbin/multipathd -d -s root 461 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop0] root 466 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop2] root 469 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop4] root 472 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop5] root 475 2 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 [loop6] systemd+ 499 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-timesyncd systemd+ 551 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:16 /lib/systemd/systemd-networkd systemd+ 553 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:06 /lib/systemd/systemd-resolved root 589 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:39 /usr/lib/accountsservice/accounts-daemon root 592 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:02 /usr/sbin/cron -f message+ 593 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:10 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only root 600 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/networkd-dispatcher --run-startup-triggers syslog 601 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/rsyslogd -n -iNONE root 609 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:08 /lib/systemd/systemd-logind root 611 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:01 /usr/lib/udisks2/udisksd daemon 614 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/atd -f root 625 1 0 Apr02 ttyS0 00:00:00 /sbin/agetty -o -p -- \u --keep-baud 115200,38400,9600 ttyS0 vt220 root 628 1 0 Apr02 tty1 00:00:00 /sbin/agetty -o -p -- \u --noclear tty1 linux root 648 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: /usr/sbin/sshd -D [listener] 0 of 10-100 startups root 655 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/lib/policykit-1/polkitd --no-debug root 670 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/share/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrade-shutdown --wait-for-signal root 695 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/squid -sYC proxy 697 695 0 Apr02 ? 00:02:09 (squid-1) --kid squid-1 -sYC proxy 699 697 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 (logfile-daemon) /var/log/squid/access.log root 756 648 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu [priv] ubuntu 763 1 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /lib/systemd/systemd --user ubuntu 764 763 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 (sd-pam) ubuntu 887 756 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu@notty ubuntu 906 763 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --session --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only root 939 887 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 sudo env LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/snap/multipass-sshfs/145/lib /snap/multipass-sshfs/145/bin/sshfs -o slave -o transform_symlinks -o allow_other -o Compression=no -o dcache_timeout=3 :/Users/kyanny /home/ubuntu/Home/. root 940 939 0 Apr02 ? 00:00:00 /snap/multipass-sshfs/145/bin/sshfs -o slave -o transform_symlinks -o allow_other -o Compression=no -o dcache_timeout=3 :/Users/kyanny /home/ubuntu/Home/. root 7874 2 0 Apr03 ? 00:00:00 [loop7] UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD root 9187 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [loop3] root 16859 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [xfsalloc] root 16863 2 0 Apr04 ? 00:00:00 [xfs_mru_cache] root 26521 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:00 [loop1] root 26571 1 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:06 /usr/lib/snapd/snapd root 26908 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:05 [kworker/0:2-events] root 27009 2 0 Apr06 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:1-events_power_efficient] proxy 27030 697 0 00:00 ? 00:00:00 (pinger) root 27034 2 0 00:00 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:2-events_unbound] root 27085 2 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/0:0-cgroup_destroy] root 27195 648 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu [priv] ubuntu 27268 27195 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 sshd: ubuntu@pts/0 ubuntu 27269 27268 0 00:35 pts/0 00:00:00 -bash root 27295 2 0 00:35 ? 00:00:00 [kworker/u2:0-events_unbound] ubuntu 27359 27269 0 00:40 pts/0 00:00:00 ps -ef
Alternatively, using VisiData is the easiest way.
vd -f tsv ps.txt
