tmux/Keyshort/Copy Mode

• Keyshort tmux tmux/Keyshort
  • Start a Selection Card
    • Shortcut: Space Keyshort/Default
    • Description: Runs begin-selection, which starts a character-wise selection at the cursor. Until it is pressed there is no selection to work on — moving the cursor in tmux/Mode/Copy beforehand only moves the cursor.
  • Toggle Rectangle Selection Card
    • Shortcut: v, and C-v does the same Keyshort/Default
    • Description: Runs rectangle-toggle, which switches the selection already in progress between following the wrapped text and holding a rectangular block. Both keys are bound to it, so either one works.
    • The key toggles the shape of a selection rather than starting one, which is where vim habits mislead: in vim v enters visual mode, while the key that starts a selection here is Space.
  • Select Whole Lines Card
    • Shortcut: V Keyshort/Default
    • Description: Runs select-line, which takes the whole line the cursor sits on and extends a line at a time as the cursor moves.
  • Move the Cursor to the Other End of the Selection Card
    • Shortcut: o Keyshort/Default
    • Description: Runs other-end, which puts the cursor on the end of the selection it is not already on, so the end that was anchored becomes the end that grows. It adjusts a selection that started in the wrong place without dropping it and beginning again.
  • Drop the Selection Without Leaving Copy Mode Card
    • Shortcut: Escape, and C-[ does the same Keyshort/Default
    • Description: Runs clear-selection, which removes the highlight and leaves tmux/Mode/Copy active at the same scroll position. A terminal sends the same character for C-[ as for Escape, so one key press carries two names in the key table.
  • These five keys are stock copy-mode-vi bindings, present with no configuration file at all. They come from the copy-mode-vi key table, which tmux/Option/mode-keys selects; tmux list-keys -T copy-mode-vi prints what a running server has bound.