How to define function keys to switch terminals in GNU Screen

x_terminat_or_3 · 07-16-2009, 03:48 PM

Hi there

I would like to know if it is possible, and if so, how, to program the function keys (or multi-media keys) to work inside GNU Screen to, for instance, switch to screen 1, 2, . ., bring up the list of all available screens, split the screen, do copy, etc.

Does anyone know of a way to do this? It would make this staple program even more awesome.

Thank you kindly all you gentle souls, in particular GrapefruitGirl

x_terminat_or_3 · 07-19-2009, 03:59 AM

Hi

It seems that nobody has the answer to this question. So I did some extensive research in it myself. I discovered many amazing things that screen can do, and I found the answer to my question:

Put this in your /etc/screenrc file, or in your own personal one: ~/.screenrc

Code:

bindkey -k k1 select 0
bindkey -k k2 select 1
bindkey -k k3 select 2
bindkey -k k4 select 3
bindkey -k k5 select 4
bindkey -k k6 select 5
bindkey -k k8 select 6
bindkey -k k9 select 7

For some reason it didn't know about keys F10-F12, so I still want to know how to do them, but for now, it's a great improvement indeed!

blackhole54 · 07-19-2009, 08:04 PM

Thanks for the information. I didn't know that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_terminat_or_3

For some reason it didn't know about keys F10-F12, so I still want to know how to do them, but for now, it's a great improvement indeed!

I think this is a limitation of termcap (see man 5 termcap). While I haven't tried it, based on that man page I think the following will work for F10:

Code:

 bindkey -k k; select 8

It might recognize the following for F11 and F12:

Code:

bindkey -k F1 select 9
bindkey -k F2 <operation for F12>

Yeah, I know, F1 for the F11 key, etc, is counterintuitive. My guess is there is some historical reason for it.

x_terminat_or_3 · 07-20-2009, 12:13 AM

You're right, thanks. I did find out about those weirdness late in the yesterday evening and they actually work!