Power Sessions with Screen

Thanks for the trackback on my photo of frijole! For those interested, I have lots of photos from the opening.
Hot Rolling Mills

Screen quickly becomes confusing for me (since it's by default indistinguishable from a normal terminal), so I use the hardstatusline setting in my .screenrc:

hardstatus alwayslastline
hardstatus string '%{gk}[ %{G}%H %{g}][%= %{wk}%?%-Lw%?%{=b kR}(%{W}%n*%f %t%?(%u)%?%{=b kR})%{= kw}%?%+Lw%?%?%= %{g}][%{Y}%l%{g}]%{=b C}[ %m/%d %c ]%{W}


What that crazy line displays is this: On the last line:

1. your hostname (the name of the computer you're working on. This is useful if you ssh into many computers, and run a screen in each. You can even do nested screen sessions: Use C-a + a + __ instead of C-a + ___
2. A listing of all the screen windows you have open, and indication of which you're currently on. This is useful for navigating between windows. By default they aren't helpfully named (e.g. "5$ bash"), but you can rename them with C-a + A, and then something like "python.
3. System Load (I find it useful, not everyone will.
4. Date, Time


[mike][ 0-$ emacs (1*$ python) 2-$ vim [0.06 0.12 0.53][ 06/29 5:19]


Hi Adam,

this is a nice article about screen. THX a lot. I have a question and hope you can help me.
I use screen since some time to start ssh session automatic.

- screen -t session1 1 ssh root@system1

It works. But I need a behaviour which didnt' close the screen session when exit. I want stay on the bash after exit and have the ssh command in the bash history.
Is it possible to handle this with screen ?

Cheers

Adam

very nice images ...........

Is there an easy way of naming a screen session, so that one could use easier-to-remember names with screen -r ? One way is to rename the named socket in /var/run/screen/. Wondering if there's a better way.

why
?
bell_msg '^GBell in window %n'
activity '^GActivity in window %n'

I use screen all of the time. I've long touted the benefits of using it for long running processes. I also use it interactively when reviewing actions of staff. My favorite use is to launch it when I have to run an errand, go home, go to lunch, etc. I can come back and pick up where I left off with worrying about a remote terminal session being open on my system.

Oh! Shame! I've just found it in the man pages, sorry!!!

These lines in the .screenrc should make it:
bell_msg '^GBell in window %n'
activity '^GActivity in window %n'
http://www.webumut.com

I love screen. But what I want is something that can do stateful sessions with X programs when my X server crashes. VNC is to slow, and Xmove I couldn't get to work. Any suggestions?

The article is super. Nice one.!

I came across this one while I was looking around for a solution for my vim IDE.

I am trying to create a vim + screen + bash wrap-up to make a vim IDE.

When I open a file, I fire off a delayed-open bash thread that does opening of files on a pre agreed vim server (say VIM_ON_SCREEN). Now while it is stuck in delay, I fire off a screen session with vim starting up the server (screen -R vim_screen vim --servername VIM_ON_SCREEN ) I expect the bash thread to kick in and remote-open files in the vim thats running in screen.

But it doesnt seem to work.

I did a bit of debugging. I started a screen session with vim and tried listing the VIM servers (vim --serverlist), but it didnt show up.

Any idea?

When I open Vi or VIM while using screen, the 'Esc' takes time to be effective (though it is only a fraction of a second). Without screen, it is instantaneous (unless I have mappings starting with Esc).

Is there any setting I can make in my screenrc or elsewhere? It appears screen intercepts Esc and then perhaps waits for further input. Once that times out, it sends Esc to the running app.

Hi dear adam,
really you have provided very good information about gnu screen, even then I am facing a problem, So I found this page through Google.

In side screen, if wanted to launch rsh to other machines in window, then the typical command is

screen [-a] [-l] rsh machine # working fine.

but If I wanted to run any other intractive program like vim, emacs, bash or zsh. screen [-a] [-l] rsh machine zsh -il # no Control key working here.

I tried very some other flags also like -fa -fn etc, nothing worked. and I did not got any clue in net. Please let me know if this could be resolved.

thanks
Sharad

Is there an easy way of naming a screen session, so that one could use easier-to-remember names with screen -r ? One way is to rename the named socket in /var/run/screen/. Wondering if there's a better way.

Very good introduction, I suggested my buddies reading it.
I've been using screen for years in every day and there's a feature I would really like and miss the most:
A bell in a not active window should generate a bell (^G) in the active window as well instead of just writing this info out. If I could hear this notification I could react sooner to the problem.
Can this be set through the configuration or not?
I've read all the words in the long manual of this program, but...
Thanks.
RS

Been using this for about 5 years on SCO OpenServer5. Is very handy for serial terminal users who find the multiscreening a productivity improvement. The hot-keying between screens allows them reference back where they left off without having to 'back' out then select another option in the menus they use.

One problem I have found is the restricted range of ptys that are allowed in the version I have been supporting. It can only offer a maximum of 48 ptys. Also, if you have LAN connected devices you will find contention in the allocation of ptys. For instance both screen and telnet sessions use the ttyp0 - 8 range so you may find screen 'out of ptys' from time to time