a version of `ps ax` for python

ps_ax.py

import re
from subprocess import Popen, PIPE

# Equivilent to `ps ax|grep search_string`
p2 = Popen(["grep", search_string], stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE)  # search_string 
p1 = Popen(["ps", "ax"], stdout=p2.stdin)
# Break up results into invidual lines
results = p2.communicate()[0].split("\n")

# Now iterate thru the list, filter out grep, and print pids
pids = []
for line in results:
    if "grep" in line:
        continue
    pids.append(re.sub("\ .*$", "", line.lstrip(" ")))