wait -- Command

Await completion of background process
wait [pid]

Typing the character `&' after a  command tells the shell sh to execute
it as  a background (or detached)  process; otherwise, it is  executed as a
foreground process.  You can perform other tasks while a background process
is  being  executed.   The shell  prints  the  process  id  number of  each
background  process when  it is  invoked.  ps  reports on  currently active
processes.

The  command wait  tells the  shell  to suspend  execution until  the child
process with the given pid is completed.  If no pid is given, wait suspends
execution  until all  background processes are  completed.  If  the process
with  the given  pid is  not  a child  process of  the current  shell, wait
returns immediately.

The shell executes wait directly.

See Also

commands,
ksh,
ps,
sh

Notes

If  a  subshell invokes  a  background process  and  then terminates,  wait
returns  immediately  rather  than  waiting  for  the  termination  of  the
grandchild process.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness