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How to use tmux

· 4 min read
Hreniuc Cristian-Alexandru

Resources: - Getting started with tmux - Youtube turorial 1 - Youtube turorial 2 Install tmux on Debian

sudo apt-get install tmux

You can also install tmuxinator, which is easier to use, you can create session easily. Tmux has a lot of keybindings, those keybindings are in this format CTRL + B [command]. The CTRL + B is called the prefix, it like letting tmux know that the next key pressed is a command for it. You press CTRL + B release and then press a letter(command). Each tmux session has a number of windows, and each window has a number of panes. Create a new tmux session:

tmux new -s name

Commands for windows: CTRL + B [command]- c - Creates a new window.

  • ,(comma) - Gives you the possibility to rename the window.
  • p - Go to the previous window.
  • n - Go to the next window.
  • w - List all windows(scrollable list of windows).
  • & - Kill current window.
  • f - Search for a window by name.

Commands for panes: CTRL + B [command]- % - Split vertically the current pane in two panes.

  • **** - Split horizontally the current pane in two panes.
  • o - Go to the next pane.
  • { - Move pane to left with one position.
  • } - Move pane to right with one position.
  • q - Show pane numbers + if you press a number, the pane with that number will become active(will have the cursor)
  • x - Kill current pane.
  • z - Zoom in the current pane.(It will enlarge it to the size of the whole terminal, to go back do the combination of keys again)

Move between panes : CTRL + B left-arrow/right-arrow/up-arrow/down-arrowResize current pane: CTRL + B left-arrow/right-arrow/up-arrow/down-arrow(but do not release CTRL) Set a predefined layout: CTRL + B Spacebar**Sessions:- CTRL + B** D - Detach from the session.

List all sessions:

tmux list-sessions
# or
tmux ls

Attach to a session:

tmux attach -t name_of_session

Running commands that do not have keybindings: CTRL + B :(two dots) [text-command]:- split-window - Splits the window horizontally

  • setw synchronize-panes on/off - Write the same thing on all panes.
  • lock-client - follow the leader All clients connected to tmux session will be on the same page, when one goes to another page, all go there.
  • lock-client off - Disable follow the leader

To scroll through output history: > Ctrl-b then [ then you can use your normal navigation keys to scroll around (eg. Up Arrow or PgDn). Press q to quit scroll mode. Alternatively you can press Ctrl-b PgUp to go directly into copy mode and scroll one page up (which is what it sounds like you will want most of the time)

More keybindings can be found here: http://tmuxcheatsheet.com/Tips:- To navigate through command history, use the mouse scroll

Change the config of tmux:- Create a config file in the home directory:

touch ~/.tmux.conf
  • Add a keybinding to reload configuration while running tmux:
# reload config file (change file location to your the tmux.conf file)                                                         
bind-key r source-file ~/.tmux.conf\; display-message Config reloaded.
  • Add everything you want there, layout design, keybindings, etc.

Content of .tmux.conf:

# Create tmux work-session or attach to it if it already exist

######################### Script tmux_start.sh begin ###########################
#!/bin/bash
# new-window command or use alias neww

# send-keys 'cd ~/data/project' C-m \; \
# Sends the command from '' and C-m will execute it.

docker_container_running=$(docker ps | grep container_name_2 | wc -l)
SESSIONNAME="work_session"
tmux has-session -t $SESSIONNAME &> /dev/null
if [ $? -ne 0 ]
then
  tmux new-session -s $SESSIONNAME\; \
  send-keys 'cd ~/data/project' C-m \; \
  rename-window "project" \; \
  new-window -c ~/data/project1 -n 'project1' \; \
  new-window -c ~/data/project2 -n "project2" \; \
  new-window -c ~/data/project3 -n 'project3' \; \
  new-window -c ~ -n 'home' \; \
  new-window -n 'qserver_qtcreator' 'xhost +; if [ $(docker ps | grep container_name | wc -l) -eq 0 ]; then docker start -i container_name; else docker exec -it container_name /bin/bash; fi' \; \
  split-window -h -c ~/data/project/source_1 \; \
  split-window -v -c ~/data/project/source_1 'xhost +; if [ $(docker ps | grep container_name | wc -l) -eq 0 ]; then docker start container_name; fi; docker exec -it -e QT_XKB_CONFIG_ROOT=/usr/share/X11/xkb container_name qtcreator' \; \
  select-window -t "project_qtcreator"
else
  tmux a -t $SESSIONNAME
fi
################################### End Script #################################

# Add alias command work-session in ~/.bashrc
alias work-session='bash ~/data/tmux_start.sh'

# Reload configuration
source ~/.bashrc