Err...
``` -o args ``` should be modified to contain the arguments you want, not the literal word 'args'.
Or just leave \(ignore/remove\) this out.
hth
In the Unix-like world there are several type of styles for ps . Some systems support the BSD style where no `-' is prefixed, some systems support the POSIX or UNIX standards where a prefixed `-' is required. Most Linux systems has the GNU style as well, called long options, which does not affect here, nevertheless, because the GNU ps tries to accommodate all three styles, and mix and match is allowed, conflicts do occur. -u and u has the greatest chance of conflicting with other flags because they mean different in each style.
Try this one and see if it does what you want.
ps -u $USER -o args
args is a valid user-defined format specifier. Meaning that you use with the -o or o prefixed in front and space is allow.
Some of the others specifiers are:
cmd
comm
command
fname
ucmd
ucomm
lstart
bsdstart
start
Interesting enough cmd, args and command are alias.
While that it is true by themselves in an UNIX standards style, the GNU ps does not raise an ERROR: Conflicting format options. when you include both, since the -f is (elevated or interpreted) to just a BSD style f . Combining both will just provide a warning of bad syntax, perhaps a bogus '-'? and output as: ASCII-art process hierarchy (forest)