New to Linux and need help figuring things out

[coyboss]

Hi there all

I am new to Linux and am trying to figure out how to do the following:
Using a long listing and no process modifiers, what is the swap space amount for the bash command
I have read in books and checked various sites, but still haven't figured out what command I need to type to get this output

I have tried the PS and the top command, but can't figure out how to either read the info or get the correct results

Thanks in advance.

IKE

[jayd512]

Hello and Welcome!

Are you talking about finding the amount of memory in use, and the amount of SWAP in use, at any given time?
If so, then you're looking for free -m.

If not, maybe you could rephrase?

[coyboss]

Ok thanks for the Idea Jayd.

Now out of the info that the command gives what would be the swap space amount for the bash?

Here is my output:

free -m
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 491 478 13 0 13 286
-/+ buffers/cache: 178 313
Swap: 2015 0 2015

Thanks

IKE

[jayd512]

Here is mine, in [code] tags for easier viewing:

             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          1944       1622        321          0         31       1205
-/+ buffers/cache:        385       1559
Swap:            0          0          0

The second and third lines are the important ones.
You'll see that I am using 385 MB of RAM, with 1559 free.
Notice, though, that I am not using a SWAP partition. But it would read the same way.

What I'm not sure about with your question: What do you mean by "swap space amount for the bash?"

The command is typed into a terminal window, which generally uses the bash shell.

[coyboss]

I am not sure what they want either, I am in an intro to Linux class and trying to figur this out is all. Instructors english is lacking and its an online class

Yes I am using the terminal window.

So based on what you are saying then the bash swap amount would be whatever is shown for swap correct??

Thanks so much

IKE

[jayd512]

I'm inclined to say yes.
Provided that you are looking for a command, in a bash terminal, to show you how much SWAP is in use.

[coyboss]

Ok we will go with that then.

Thanks for the help

I have some other issues if you want to tackle them too??

IKE

[sgosnell]

Your question makes no sense. Bash has no swap space, it just uses available memory. Swap is managed by the kernel, and the amount of swap in use depends on the amount of memory in use by the system. Most of the time, with adequate available RAM, the swap in use is zero, but memory is swapped if necessary. I don't know of a way to find out how much of the swapped memory is from bash, if any. I suspect you may be misunderstanding the question.

[jayd512]

I suspect you may be misunderstanding the question.

That's exactly what I was thinking.
I'm still not sure if that's what he was asking about.

[coyboss]

hi Sgo and Jay,
I am not sure what it was exactly that I was supposed to provide.

It was the question that was posed to us by the teacher, and I couldn't find anything anywhere on the net to figure out how to find the info.

So I came to the experts. I undestand it is a confusing question, but like I said the teacher's english is not all that great.

Thanks again

IKE