[Bug 1000018] [NEW] ps aux with COLUMNS displays odd pattern

Robert Citek 1000018 at bugs.launchpad.net
Wed May 16 02:10:27 UTC 2012 

Public bug reported:

I was incrementing COLUMNS while using 'ps aux' to search for a
particular gdm process, when I noticed that that output length does not
increment by a single character.   Rather it increments, then truncates,
and increments again.

Here's a sample using a for..loop to increment COLUMNS:

$ n=0; m=81; for ((c=${n}; c<=${m} ; c++)) ; do echo ${c}:
$(COLUMNS=${c} ps aux 2> /dev/null | grep ^gdm | grep 22693 ) ; done

0: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix=/apps/gdm/simple-greeter/settings-manager-plugins
1: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
2: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
3: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
4: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
5: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
6: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
7: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
8: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
9: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
10: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
11: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gno
12: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
13: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
14: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
15: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
16: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
17: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
18: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
19: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
20: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
21: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
22: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings
23: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
24: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
25: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
26: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
27: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-s
28: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
29: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-setting
30: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-d
31: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daem
32: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/
33: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gno
34: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
35: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
36: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
37: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/
38: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
39: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
40: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
41: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-se
42: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
43: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settin
44: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings
45: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-d
46: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-dae
47: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemo
48: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/
49: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gn
50: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnom
51: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-
52: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-se
53: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-sett
54: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settin
55: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings
56: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-d
57: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-dae
58: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemo
59: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon
60: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --
61: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gc
62: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gcon
63: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-
64: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-pr
65: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-pref
66: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix
67: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix=/
68: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
69: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
70: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
71: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/l
72: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
73: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib
74: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/
75: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
76: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
77: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gno
78: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
79: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome
80: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
81: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-s

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: procps 1:3.2.8-1ubuntu4.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-41.88-generic 2.6.32.59+drm33.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-41-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue May 15 22:00:53 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100816.1)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: procps

** Affects: procps (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug lucid ubuntu-une

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1000018

Title:
  ps aux with COLUMNS displays odd pattern

Status in “procps” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I was incrementing COLUMNS while using 'ps aux' to search for a
  particular gdm process, when I noticed that that output length does
  not increment by a single character.   Rather it increments, then
  truncates, and increments again.

  Here's a sample using a for..loop to increment COLUMNS:

  $ n=0; m=81; for ((c=${n}; c<=${m} ; c++)) ; do echo ${c}:
  $(COLUMNS=${c} ps aux 2> /dev/null | grep ^gdm | grep 22693 ) ; done

  0: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix=/apps/gdm/simple-greeter/settings-manager-plugins
  1: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  2: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  3: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
  4: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  5: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  6: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  7: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  8: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  9: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  10: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  11: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gno
  12: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  13: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
  14: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  15: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
  16: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
  17: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  18: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  19: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
  20: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
  21: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
  22: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings
  23: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
  24: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  25: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
  26: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
  27: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-s
  28: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
  29: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-setting
  30: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-d
  31: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daem
  32: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/
  33: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gno
  34: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  35: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  36: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  37: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/
  38: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
  39: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
  40: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
  41: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-se
  42: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-sett
  43: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settin
  44: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings
  45: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-d
  46: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-dae
  47: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemo
  48: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/
  49: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gn
  50: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnom
  51: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-
  52: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-se
  53: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-sett
  54: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settin
  55: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings
  56: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-d
  57: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-dae
  58: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemo
  59: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon
  60: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --
  61: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gc
  62: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gcon
  63: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-
  64: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-pr
  65: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-pref
  66: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix
  67: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gnome-settings-daemon --gconf-prefix=/
  68: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /us
  69: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr
  70: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/
  71: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/l
  72: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/li
  73: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib
  74: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/
  75: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/g
  76: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gn
  77: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gno
  78: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnom
  79: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome
  80: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-
  81: gdm 22693 0.0 0.3 233548 11800 ? Ss May13 0:05 /usr/lib/gnome-s

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
  Package: procps 1:3.2.8-1ubuntu4.2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-41.88-generic 2.6.32.59+drm33.24
  Uname: Linux 2.6.32-41-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Tue May 15 22:00:53 2012
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100816.1)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_US:en
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: procps

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