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X-Clipboard on Commandline

---- dataentry snipplet ---- snipplet_tags: clipboard, x11, xclip, readline LastUpdate_dt: 2010-07-31 Contributors: Josh Triplett type: snipplet

# Make Control-v paste, if in X and if xclip available - Josh Triplett
if [ -n "$DISPLAY" ] && [ -x /usr/bin/xclip ] ; then
    # Work around a bash bug: \C-@ does not work in a key binding
    bind '"\C-x\C-m": set-mark'
    # The '#' characters ensure that kill commands have text to work on; if
    # not, this binding would malfunction at the start or end of a line.
    bind 'Control-v: "#\C-b\C-k#\C-x\C-?\"$(xclip -o -selection c)\"\e\C-e\C-x\C-m\C-a\C-y\C-?\C-e\C-y\ey\C-x\C-x\C-d"'
fi

The behaviour is a bit tricky to explain:

  • kill text after the cursor
    • since the kill command wants text, it blindly adds a fake text \"#\" here
  • kill text before the cursor
    • since the kill command wants text, it blindly adds a fake text \"#\" here, too
  • write out "$(xclip -o -selection c)"
  • run Control-Meta-e (shell-expand-line) to expand the "$(xclip -o -selection c)"
  • yank the previously killed text back where it belongs

Of course you can use any other command, you\'re not limited to xclip here.

Note: C-@ as well as M-SPC both works and set the mark for me -- pgas

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