illumos gate

pargs output:

root ~ (so1-12.ixlon1): pargs 36481
36481:  /bin/bash /opt/ec/bin/snapshot_hourly.sh
argv[0]: /bin/bash
argv[1]: /opt/ec/bin/snapshot_hourly.sh
root ~ (so1-12.ixlon1): pgrep -x /opt/ec/bin/snapshot_hourly.sh
root ~ (so1-12.ixlon1): 

Remember that you need -f to match full command line, not just executable name, but it still looks like the documentation is inaccurate here, or rather a bit puzzling (same on FreeBSD), while linux version seems to documents it correctly:

-x     Only match processes whose name (or command line if -f is specified) exactly match the pattern.

So the following would have worked for you:

pgrep -fx '/bin/bash /opt/ec/bin/snapshot_hourly.sh'

It's saying "executable file name" to try to suggest it matches on the basename, not the full path. That's admittedly not particularly clear. So not only, as Yuri said, is it not matching because of the interpretter, but also because of the full path (both would cause you to need -f)

I propose to change the documentation to reflect the program behavior

sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep x emacs-gtk
2544
sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep -x /usr/bin/emacs-gtk
sac@hipster:/tmp$ ps 2544
PID TT S TIME COMMAND
2544 ? S 0:41 /usr/bin/emacs-gtk
sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep -x 'emacs.*'
2544
sac@hipster:~$ pgrep -x '.macs.*'
2544
sac@hipster:~$

==========
I suggest changing:

x
Considers only processes whose argument
string or executable file name exactly
matches the specified pattern to be match
ing processes. The pattern match is con-
sidered to be exact when all characters in
the process argument string or executable
file name match the pattern.

To

-x
Considers only processes whose executable
file name exactly matches the specified
pattern to the matching processes. The
pattern match is considered to be exact when
all characters in the executable file name
match the pattern.

If I get a couple of ok on this I'll submit a patch for man page.

I propose to change the documentation to reflect the program behavior

sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep -x emacs-gtk
2544
sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep -x /usr/bin/emacs-gtk
sac@hipster:/tmp$ ps 2544
PID TT S TIME COMMAND
2544 ? S 0:41 /usr/bin/emacs-gtk
sac@hipster:/tmp$ pgrep -x 'emacs.*'
2544
sac@hipster:~$ pgrep -x '.macs.*'
2544
sac@hipster:~$

I suggest changing:

 -x
                      Considers  only  processes  whose  argument
                      string  or  executable  file  name  exactly
                      matches the specified pattern to be  match-
                      ing  processes.  The  pattern match is con-
                      sidered to be exact when all characters  in
                      the  process  argument string or executable
                      file name match the pattern.

To

-x
                      Considers only processes whose executable
                      file name exactly matches the specified 
                      pattern to the matching processes. The
                      pattern match is considered to be exact when
                      all characters in the executable file name 
                      match the pattern.

Yuri Pankov wrote:

I still find the linux' description better, as it's far easier to understand than "Considers only processes whose executable file name exactly matches the specified pattern to the matching processes."

Yeah I agree too. It is quite short and very much clear. Maybe we should discuss this in the mailing list and come to a conclusion. Can you bring this topic on discuss?

For quick reference, linux man page says:

       -x, --exact
              Only match processes whose name (or command line if -f is specified) exactly match the pattern.