[Tutor] checking for a process

[John Moylan]

Hi, 
 
I have written a script for Linux that I want to have run from Crontab every 3 
minutes. But I don't want to run a new copy of the script if another is still 
running. With BASH I would put something like the following at the start of my 
script: 
 
if [ -e $PIDFILE ] && ps >/dev/null -p `cat $PIDFILE`; do 
	exit 
else 
	echo $$ > $PIDFILE 
. 
. 
. 
.(script) 
. 
rm $PIDFILE 
 
The problem is that I don't want to have to create a BASH wrapper script 
around my python script ....but I can't find any way of finding out if a 
process is running ala the ps bit of my script above...without spawning a 
shell. Is there any way to do this natively in Python? or is there a better 
way of creating the same functionality in Python? 
 
Kind Regards, 
John Moylan 
 
John Moylan 
RTE Technology 
Donnybrook, 
Dublin 4. 
+353 1 2083564 


******************************************************************************
The information in this e-mail is confidential and may be legally privileged.
It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this e-mail by anyone else
is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure,
copying, distribution, or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance
on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful.
Please note that emails to, from and within RTÉ may be subject to the Freedom
of Information Act 1997 and may be liable to disclosure.
******************************************************************************