document the -o, o, -O, and O options

diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f8a21e77f9b3c1d93afc836740dfe53e6f1b503b..0c09f0a03283cbd0ab5949f61cf847dcb51ec705 100644 (file)
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ procps-3.1.8 --> procps-3.1.9
 top: fix suspend/resume behavior
 top: ditch warning until a GOOD interface is found    #188271
 kill: more info in the man page           #182414
+ps: document the -o, o, -O, and O options    #169301
 
 procps-3.1.7 --> procps-3.1.8
 

diff --git a/ps/ps.1 b/ps/ps.1
index bcd0afd6d7f846707bc46ca9d9749530e5134a9c..789a88670cb91a916d0054edcdd0cbcb76b19c67 100644 (file)
--- a/ps/ps.1
+++ b/ps/ps.1
@@ -145,6 +145,17 @@ k           use /vmcore as c-dumpfile (try -n or N instead)
 
 NOTES
 
+User-defined format options ("o", "-o", "O", and "-O") offer
+a way to specify individual output columns. Headers may be
+renamed ("ps -o pid,ruser=RealUser -o comm=Command") as desired.
+If all column headers are empty ("ps -o pid= -o comm=") then the
+header line will not be output. Column width will increase as
+needed for wide headers; this may be used to widen up columns
+such as WCHAN ("ps -o pid,wchan=WIDE-WCHAN-COLUMN -o comm").
+The behavior of "ps -o pid=X,comm=Y" varies with personality;
+output may be one column named "X,comm=Y" or two columns
+named "X" and "Y". Use multiple -o options when in doubt.
+
 The "-g" option can select by session leader OR by group name.
 Selection by session leader is specified by many standards,
 but selection by group is the logical behavior that several other