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Screen.md

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SCREEN SESSION

What is a Screen Session?

screen -S main
  1. screen: screen is terminal multiplexer that allows you to run multiple terminal sessions within a single terminal window. It's particularly useful when you want to keep processes running even after you disconnect from a remote server or terminal. It's commonly used for managing and organizing multiple processes or tasks in a Unix-like environment.
  2. -S main: The -S option followed by a session name (in this case, "main") is used to create a new screen session and assign it a specific name. This is beneficial when you have multiple screen sessions, as it makes it easier to identify and reconnect to the desired session later.

When you execute the command screen -S main:

  1. If a screen session with the name "main" already exists, you will be reattached to that session.
  2. If no screen session with the name "main" exists, a new session named "main" will be created.

Once inside the screen session, you can run commands and start processes. To detach from the screen session and leave it running in the background, you can press Ctrl + A followed by Ctrl + D. Later, you can reattach to this session using the screen -r command.

This command is especially useful for running long-term processes or tasks that you want to keep running even when your terminal connection is closed. The session name ("main" in this case) helps you identify and manage your screen sessions effectively.

Screen -ls

screen -ls
  1. -ls: The -ls option is used to list all the screen sessions that are currently running or detached. It provides information about the available screen sessions, including their session names and statuses.

When you execute the command screen -ls:

  1. The terminal will display a list of screen sessions, including their session names, status (whether attached or detached), and other details. Example output: 
    There is a screen on:
        12345.main    (Detached)
1 socket in /run/screen/S-your_username.
    In this example, there is a screen session named "main" with the session ID (12345) and the status "Detached".
  2. If there are no screen sessions, the output will indicate that there are no sockets found.

This command is helpful for checking the status and names of existing screen sessions. It allows users to identify active sessions, their statuses, and choose which session to reattach to or manipulate further.

Starting a Screen Session

Using the mehodology of "check, change, check" we can start a screen session by:

screen -ls

This checks if any screen sessions are open. Now we can change or open a new screen session with:

screen -S main

Lastly, check the screen session to make sure it is working properly:

screen -ls

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts within a screen session:

  1. Ctrl + a:
    1. Purpose: Command prefix.
    2. Usage: Prefix for most other screen commands
  2. Ctrl + a + c:
    1. Purpose: Create a new shell session (window).
    2. Usage: Opens a new shell session within the current screen window.
  3. Ctrl + a + n:
    1. Purpose: Switch to the next window.
    2. Usage: Move to the next shell session (window) within the screen session.
  4. Ctrl + a + p:
    1. Purpose:Switch to the previous window.
    2. Usage: Move to the previous shell session (window) within the screen session.
  5. Ctrl + a + ":
    1. Purpose: List and navigate through open windows.
    2. Usage: Presents a list of open windows for selection.
  6. Ctrl + a + A:
    1. Purpose: Rename the current window.
    2. Usage: Allows you to assign a specific name to the current shell session (window).
  7. Ctrl + a + d:
    1. Purpose: Detach from the current screen session.
    2. Usage: Leaves the screen session running in the background.
  8. Ctrl + a + [ or Space:
    1. Purpose: Enter copy mode.
    2. Usage: Allows you to scroll and copy text within the screen session.
  9. Ctrl + a + ]:
    1. Purpose: Paste copied text.
    2. Usage: Pastes the text copied in copy mode.
  10. Ctrl + a + \:
    1. Purpose: Kill the current window.
    2. Usage: Closes the current shell session (window).
  11. Ctrl + a + S:
    1. Purpose: Split the current region horizontally.
    2. Usage: Divides the window into two horizontal regions.
  12. Ctrl + a + Tab:
    1. Purpose: Switch focus to the next region.
    2. Usage: Moves the focus between split regions

These are just a few of the many screen keyboard shortcuts. The flexibility of screen allows users to manage multiple sessions, windows, and panes efficiently. For more details, you can refer to the screen manual (man screen) or online resources.