Linux – How to select text in BASH terminal using the keyboard without mouse

bashlinuxterminalUbuntu

How to select text in BASH terminal using the keyboard without mouse?

I'm using Ubuntu 10.10

Best Answer

Perhaps this works (source)

You can use GNU screen's copy and paste commands.

Quick tutorial:

  1. Open screen: screen (or screen myprog my args here)
  2. Run your program, producing output you want copied
  3. Enter copy mode: ^A [
  4. Move your cursor to the start point
  5. Hit enter
  6. Move your cursor to the end point
  7. Hit enter
  8. Paste: ^A ]

Screen is much more powerful than that (I use it to tab several virtual terminals without the need for a special terminal emulator, and also so that I don't loose my sessions when X crashes or something). To get out of screen, simply end your shell session, or type ^A ^.