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Close shell keeping all subprocess running

distribution specific information

Preserve user variables when running commands with sudo.
In this case the current user has proxy variable set which allows access to the rpm on the internet but needs root privs to install it. Running sudo -E preserves the current user proxy var and allows the rpm install to be executed with sudo.

Function that outputs dots every second until command completes
Very useful in shell scripts because you can run a task nicely in the background using job-control and output progress until it completes. Here's an example of how I use it in backup scripts to run gpg in the background to encrypt an archive file (which I create in this same way). $! is the process ID of the last run command, which is saved here as the variable PI, then sleeper is called with the process id of the gpg task (PI), and sleeper is also specified to output : instead of the default . every 3 seconds instead of the default 1. So a shorter version would be sleeper $!; The wait is also used here, though it may not be needed on your system. $ echo ">>> ENCRYPTING SQL BACKUP" $ gpg --output archive.tgz.asc --encrypt archive.tgz 1>/dev/null & $ PI=$!; sleeper $PI ":" 3; wait $PI && rm archive.tgz &>/dev/null Previously to get around the $! not always being available, I would instead check for the existance of the process ID by checking if the directory /proc/$PID existed, but not everyone uses proc anymore. That version is currently the one at http://www.askapache.com/linux-unix/bash_profile-functions-advanced-shell.html but I plan on upgrading to this new version soon.

Hypnosis
rather don't depend on those sleepin'pills http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counting_sheep

Find usb device
I often use it to find recently added ou removed device, or using find in /dev, or anything similar. Just run the command, plug the device, and wait to see him and only him

Stream your desktop to a remote machine.
This allows you to stream your desktop using vlc to another computer, in this case, 192.168.1.2 on your local network. If you have vlc installed, your all set to try this out. To view your own desktop, just run "vlc screen://" For more info, see http://nerdlogger.com/2008/01/08/stream-your-linuxwindowsmac-desktop-as-video-using-vlc/

From Vim, run current buffer in python

burn backed up xbox 360 games
burn all those sweet iso's from the command line. replace speed=2 with more if your media supports it and you're brave!

check open ports without netstat or lsof


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