Python checking if a fork() process is finished
Question: Just wondering if some one could help me out. The problem I'm having is that I
os.fork() to get several bits of information and send them to a file, but
checking to see if the fork process is not working.

    
    
    import sys
    import time
    import os
    import re
    
    
    ADDRESS  = argv[1]
    sendBytes = argv[2]
    
    
    proID2 = os.fork()
    if proID2 == 0:
        os.system('ping -c 20 ' + ADDRESS + ' > testStuff2.txt')
        os._exit(0)
    
    print proID2
    
    finn = True
    while finn == True:
    time.sleep(1)
    finn = os.path.exists("/proc/" + str(proID2))
    print os.path.exists("/proc/" + str(proID2))
    print 'eeup out of it ' + str(proID2)
    

I think that the os.path.exists() is maybe not the right thing to use.

Thanks.


Answer: To wait for the child process to terminate, use one of the `os.waitXXX()`
functions, such as
[`os.waitpid()`](http://docs.python.org/library/os.html#os.waitpid). This
method is reliable; as a bonus, it will give you the status information.

