Selecting text in Tmux copy mode

tmuxvim

I run Tmux in Vi mode. Vi-like navigation in copy mode works fine. However, I can't select any text. Neither v nor V switches to Vi-like text selecting mode.

What am I missing?

By the way, is it possible to display line numbers in copy mode?

P.S.: I'm running Tmux on Mac OS with Z shell

Best Answer

Short answer: space starts selection and enter copies.

For future reference, I got this from the tmux man page:

       Function                vi             emacs
       Back to indentation     ^              M-m
       Clear selection         Escape         C-g
       Copy selection          Enter          M-w
       Cursor down             j              Down
       Cursor left             h              Left
       Cursor right            l              Right
       Cursor to bottom line   L
       Cursor to middle line   M              M-r
       Cursor to top line      H              M-R
       Cursor up               k              Up
       Delete entire line      d              C-u
       Delete to end of line   D              C-k
       End of line             $              C-e
       Goto line               :              g
       Half page down          C-d            M-Down
       Half page up            C-u            M-Up
       Next page               C-f            Page down
       Next word               w              M-f
       Paste buffer            p              C-y
       Previous page           C-b            Page up
       Previous word           b              M-b
       Quit mode               q              Escape
       Scroll down             C-Down or J    C-Down
       Scroll up               C-Up or K      C-Up
       Search again            n              n
       Search backward         ?              C-r
       Search forward          /              C-s
       Start of line           0              C-a
       Start selection         Space          C-Space
       Transpose chars                        C-t

Update: The tmux list-keys command will also list any custom key bindings you have.

Related Solutions

Tmux copy mode – select text block

Make sure to check the bottom of this post for necessary bindings that need to go into your .tmux.conf file.

I am assuming your prefix key is C-a:

C-a means: press Ctrl + A
C-a [ means: press Ctrl + A then press [

To do a rectangle selection of text from (1,1) to (2,2) in tmux:

Go to the copy mode: C-a [
Move the middle of a line
Press C-v
Press Space
Move the selection with jkhl
Once you are happy with your selection press Enter (or y if you have the binding in your conf file).
You can paste the latest copy buffer by: C-a ]

Notice that pressing space is necessary for rectangle selection.

To select lines like you would normally do, go the copy mode, and press v, select with jkhl keys and press y.

I have these bindings in my .tmux.conf:

Prior to version 2.4 (20 April 2017):

setw -g mode-keys vi
bind-key -t vi-copy 'v' begin-selection     # Begin selection in copy mode.
bind-key -t vi-copy 'C-v' rectangle-toggle  # Begin selection in copy mode.
bind-key -t vi-copy 'y' copy-selection      # Yank selection in copy mode.

After version 2.4:

setw -g mode-keys vi
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'v' send -X begin-selection     # Begin selection in copy mode.
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'C-v' send -X rectangle-toggle  # Begin selection in copy mode.
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi 'y' send -X copy-selection      # Yank selection in copy mode.

It is important to unbind default rectangle-toggle binding:

unbind-key -t vi-copy v  # Prior to version 2.4
unbind-key -T copy-mode-vi v

Otherwise new 'C-v' binding doesn't work.

Note: to have a single .tmux.conf which works across versions, see this question.

Tmux — any way to enable scrolling, but not selection

due to a limitation in the protocol, it is not possible for terminal applications to only request the scrolling but not the selection. It's an all or nothing. So even if tmux wanted, it has no way of doing what you desire.

You have the following options:

set up a keyboard short-cut that copies the tmux selection into your system clipboard
use a terminal that supports set-clipboard function, such as xterm
disable any use of the mouse in tmux

unfortunately, answer to your question is No

Best Answer

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Tmux copy mode – select text block

Tmux — any way to enable scrolling, but not selection

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