CODEWITHSUNDEEP
tmux
koenlek
koenlek

Reputation: 77

Configure tmux copy mode to also dump a copy into the system clipboard

When working with multiple panes, it's convenient to use the tmux copy mode (ctrl+b [) to be able to use pane-aware copying. However, copy mode copies into a tmux copy buffer, rather than into the system clipboard. Ideally, I would like a copy to automatically copy into the system clipboard too.

A basic starting point was to add this alias to my bashrc:

After I copy using copy mode, I run the alias and the text gets copied into my clipboard! Works like a charm, but always requires that one extra manual step.

It would be ideal, if that alias can trigger as a kind of "post tmux copy hook" that I configure in tmux.

The best thing I could come up with is this line in my ~/.tmux.conf:

bind-key    -T copy-mode    MouseDragEnd1Pane send-keys -X copy-pipe-and-cancel "xsel -i -b"

# similarly, I believe only needed for keyboard based copies:
bind-key    -T copy-mode    C-w   send-keys -X copy-pipe-and-cancel "xsel -i -b"
bind-key    -T copy-mode    M-w   send-keys -X copy-pipe-and-cancel "xsel -i -b"

This causes any mouse based selection (note: I prefer mouse selection over keyboard based selections) to trigger a copy of that selection into my system clipboard. The annoying thing is though, that it will always happen, i.e. not only in copy mode, just anytime I select something it happens. This turns out to be quite sensitive in practice, just clicking the window with my mouse to give it focus often already accidentally triggers a small selection (often accidentally overwriting existing content in my clipboard, causing me to sometimes paste completely different stuff than intended).

I searched many similar questions but haven't been able to find any satisfying answers. I would really hope to find a way to get a kind of "post tmux copy hook" where I can insert my copy-to-clipboard command.

I use Ubuntu 18.04, with tmux 2.6. Please also be aware that I use mouse mode in my ~/.tmux.conf:

set -g mouse on

Any help would be highly appreciated. I've been wanting this for many months now already, and all of my revived efforts have only led to lost time :(

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1943

Answers (1)

user11274868
user11274868

Reputation:

If you don't want tmux to enter copy mode when you drag on the pane, then unbind MouseDrag1Pane in the root table (unbind -n MouseDrag1Pane).

Upvotes: 3

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