Xorg – How Does Middle Click Paste Work?

command linexorg

I don't understand the middle click paste.

Sometimes I highlight text, middle click in the window where I want it to go and it does what I want. Sometimes it doesn't.

For instance, when I highlight text in Firefox, then go and middle click into terminal vim, nothing happens.

What is going on?

Thank you!

As ImaginaryRobots' answer explains there are two different clipboards: the X clipboard and the desktop environment/window manager clipboard (Gnome/Unity, KDE, etc.); depending on the selection method used (i.e. just highlighting, or an explicit Ctrl-C/right-click copy, etc.), the two clipboards may not be synchronized.
- Thus, there are often issues when copying/pasting between GUI programs and the terminal.
The easiest solution if you have this problem is to use a tool that keeps both these separate clipboards in sync. I recommend ClipIt (sudo apt-get install clipit)
- Start clipit (add to Startup Applications for convenience), and under Preferences, check both the Use Primary and Synchronize Clipboards options:

For a solution to the problem, please view this guide I wrote

Or, more directly, here's the patch to disable the 'middle mouse button paste' functionality in GTK.

enter image description here IMO easiest method is to install gpointing-device-settings

sudo apt-get install gpointing-device-settings

You then 'use wheel emulation'

gpointing-device-settings looks as in image.

try this it may help you out.