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Somehow I've never made the jump from screen to tmux. 20+ year old habits die hard. This guide is nice but doesn't really show anything you couldn't do with scr

Somehow I've never made the jump from screen to tmux. 20+ year old habits die hard. This guide is nice but doesn't really show anything you couldn't do with screen too.

mhd 9y ago
Sure, I think the initial reason was a cleaner codebase and BSD licensing. Feature-wise I doubt that it would matter for 90% of the users, but then again, probably a lot for 1% (who really like one particular feature a lot). I generally set up both the same way and sometimes even forget what I'm currently using.
- vostok 9y ago
  I agree on the cleaner code, but I actually prefer the screen license.
  - mhd 9y ago
    I meant it was one of the reasons why tmux was written, not why I (partially) switched. Not that I see a big difference in the first place, but if the BSD folks want to play the GPL cleanup game, good for them, at least we're getting some software out of it and it doesn't just mean that Apache 1.3 will never die…
karmakaze 9y ago
I would also have preferred just enough more to be using tmux rather than a screen alternative. It got me using it tho, Thanks. And a semi-random link to more plus what I'd wish I'd seen: C-a " split vertically (top/bottom) C-a % split horizontally (left/right) C-a left go to the next pane on the left C-a right (or one of these other directions) C-a ; go to the ‘last’ (previously used) pane C-a M-left resize by 5 columns C-a M-right https://gist.github.com/andreyvit/2921703 https://gist.github.com/andreyvit/2921703
arca_vorago 9y ago
Its worth noting I've made a conscious choice to gplize my tool stack, so despite tmuxs lower learning curve, I still think screen is the way to go.
- dotancohen 9y ago
  I've done the same, but I do allow for MIT-licensed tools as they have no more risk of disappearing than GPL tools. In fact, you could fork your MIT tools and share them on Github under the GPL if need be. The Tmux license is ISC, which for all intents and purposes is identical to MIT. I do make a few exceptions, though. I stay proficient in VIM and use it for personal projects, but I use the Jetbrains IDEs for professional projects. It really is good enough to justify the price and license.
  - arca_vorago 9y ago
    If you are right you are blowing my mind right now... Is it true I could fork an MIT licensed project and make it GPL? I've tried very hard to understand licensing but perhaps I missed that.
    - dotancohen 9y ago
      Googling around I see some dispute on the topic, but (IANAL) to me it is clear: > Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: > The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. > THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. So long as you keep the copyright notice, you are free to add additional restrictions such as those specified in the GPL (keep it open, pretty much). You might want to ask here to clarify, if you do then please post a link here in a reply: https://opensource.stackexchange.com/ https://opensource.stackexchange.com/
zipperhead 9y ago
With tmux being more client/server based, it's more scriptable. You can run tmux commands inside or outside of tmux session which is really useful - for example you can use send-keys to perform actions within a session. You can pretty easily script things like initial session/window/pane configuration. I'm not sure you can do that with screen.
- Izkata 9y ago
  screen has "-X" for sending commands to remote sessions, and there's a command "stuff" for inserting text: screen -S Testing # Create a named screen for examples: screen -S Testing -X screen watch date # Run "watch date" in a new window on the remote session screen -S Testing -X next # Switch back to the initial bash session screen -S Testing -X stuff "cd /\n" # Type "cd /" and hit enter
aorth 9y ago
I used GNU screen for ten years or so and then switched to tmux in 2013. My tmux config to mimics screen's in most places, (prefix key, copy mode, etc). As others have pointed out, tmux has a newer code base, support for newer terminal features, less security vulnerabilities, etc. I've never looked back. https://github.com/alanorth/dotfiles/blob/master/.tmux.conf https://github.com/alanorth/dotfiles/blob/master/.tmux.conf
- marktangotango 9y ago
  I’ve never found a solution for this, so I’ll ask here; I always have a problem where vim in a screen session fails to display syntax highlihting, and TERM is xterm in both, any idea? Specifically I’ll ssh to a remote and vim an Apache config is highlighted, start screen, vim the same file and no highlighting.
  - u801e 9y ago
    I haven't had that problem. I start screen using the -T parameter with a value of xterm-256color. Do you get color output with ls or grep outside of screen, but not within a screen session? That may narrow down the problem to vim rather than screen.
  - tfmatt 9y ago
    Two things to try after opening a new screen window: 1) Enter "bash" then vim file.java (some file) 2) Enter :syntax on
- pfranz 9y ago
  I picked up tmux instead of screen years ago and wish I had stuck with screen. screen has more ubiquity. Even if tmux is installed, it might be too old and not contain the features I need. Hopefully, those problems solve themselves, but it might take a decade or two.
colordrops 9y ago
Change the tmux key binding from ctrl-b to ctrl-a and you are most of the way there. Just do it.

Somehow I've never made the jump from screen to tmux. 20+ year old habits die hard. This guide is nice but doesn't really show anything you couldn't do with screen too.

mhd 9y ago

Sure, I think the initial reason was a cleaner codebase and BSD licensing. Feature-wise I doubt that it would matter for 90% of the users, but then again, probably a lot for 1% (who really like one particular feature a lot). I generally set up both the same way and sometimes even forget what I'm currently using.

vostok 9y ago
I agree on the cleaner code, but I actually prefer the screen license.
- mhd 9y ago
  I meant it was one of the reasons why tmux was written, not why I (partially) switched. Not that I see a big difference in the first place, but if the BSD folks want to play the GPL cleanup game, good for them, at least we're getting some software out of it and it doesn't just mean that Apache 1.3 will never die…

karmakaze 9y ago

I would also have preferred just enough more to be using tmux rather than a screen alternative. It got me using it tho, Thanks. And a semi-random link to more plus what I'd wish I'd seen: C-a " split vertically (top/bottom) C-a % split horizontally (left/right) C-a left go to the next pane on the left C-a right (or one of these other directions) C-a ; go to the ‘last’ (previously used) pane C-a M-left resize by 5 columns C-a M-right https://gist.github.com/andreyvit/2921703 https://gist.github.com/andreyvit/2921703

arca_vorago 9y ago

Its worth noting I've made a conscious choice to gplize my tool stack, so despite tmuxs lower learning curve, I still think screen is the way to go.

dotancohen 9y ago
I've done the same, but I do allow for MIT-licensed tools as they have no more risk of disappearing than GPL tools. In fact, you could fork your MIT tools and share them on Github under the GPL if need be. The Tmux license is ISC, which for all intents and purposes is identical to MIT. I do make a few exceptions, though. I stay proficient in VIM and use it for personal projects, but I use the Jetbrains IDEs for professional projects. It really is good enough to justify the price and license.
- arca_vorago 9y ago
  If you are right you are blowing my mind right now... Is it true I could fork an MIT licensed project and make it GPL? I've tried very hard to understand licensing but perhaps I missed that.
  - dotancohen 9y ago
    Googling around I see some dispute on the topic, but (IANAL) to me it is clear: > Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: > The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. > THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. So long as you keep the copyright notice, you are free to add additional restrictions such as those specified in the GPL (keep it open, pretty much). You might want to ask here to clarify, if you do then please post a link here in a reply: https://opensource.stackexchange.com/ https://opensource.stackexchange.com/

zipperhead 9y ago

With tmux being more client/server based, it's more scriptable. You can run tmux commands inside or outside of tmux session which is really useful - for example you can use send-keys to perform actions within a session. You can pretty easily script things like initial session/window/pane configuration. I'm not sure you can do that with screen.

Izkata 9y ago
screen has "-X" for sending commands to remote sessions, and there's a command "stuff" for inserting text: screen -S Testing # Create a named screen for examples: screen -S Testing -X screen watch date # Run "watch date" in a new window on the remote session screen -S Testing -X next # Switch back to the initial bash session screen -S Testing -X stuff "cd /\n" # Type "cd /" and hit enter

aorth 9y ago

I used GNU screen for ten years or so and then switched to tmux in 2013. My tmux config to mimics screen's in most places, (prefix key, copy mode, etc). As others have pointed out, tmux has a newer code base, support for newer terminal features, less security vulnerabilities, etc. I've never looked back. https://github.com/alanorth/dotfiles/blob/master/.tmux.conf https://github.com/alanorth/dotfiles/blob/master/.tmux.conf

marktangotango 9y ago
I’ve never found a solution for this, so I’ll ask here; I always have a problem where vim in a screen session fails to display syntax highlihting, and TERM is xterm in both, any idea? Specifically I’ll ssh to a remote and vim an Apache config is highlighted, start screen, vim the same file and no highlighting.
- u801e 9y ago
  I haven't had that problem. I start screen using the -T parameter with a value of xterm-256color. Do you get color output with ls or grep outside of screen, but not within a screen session? That may narrow down the problem to vim rather than screen.
- tfmatt 9y ago
  Two things to try after opening a new screen window: 1) Enter "bash" then vim file.java (some file) 2) Enter :syntax on
pfranz 9y ago
I picked up tmux instead of screen years ago and wish I had stuck with screen. screen has more ubiquity. Even if tmux is installed, it might be too old and not contain the features I need. Hopefully, those problems solve themselves, but it might take a decade or two.

colordrops 9y ago

Change the tmux key binding from ctrl-b to ctrl-a and you are most of the way there. Just do it.