Linux Terminal Screen Commands

April 28, 2013 / Dedicated Server Hosting

Introduction:

Linux screen options allow controlling a terminal between several processes. You can take the screen, thanks to a task running on a PC in the process of detaching from the terminal to which it is attached, and repeat this same task from another terminal or PC. Screen interprets all typed commands via Shell.

Screen Options

  • -4 Use IPv4.
  • -6 Use IPv6.
  • -a Force all capabilities into each window’s termcap.
  • -A -[r|R] Adapt all windows to the new display width & height.
  • -c file Read configuration file instead of ‘.screenrc’.
  • -d (-r) Detach the elsewhere running screen (and reattach here).
  • -dmS name Start as daemon: Screen session in detached mode.
  • -D (-r) Detach and logout remote (and reattach here).
  • -D -RR Do whatever is needed to get a screen session.
  • -e xy Change command characters.
  • -f Flow control on, -fn = off, -fa = auto.
  • -h lines Set the size of the scrollback history buffer.
  • -i Interrupt output sooner when flow control is on.
  • -l Login mode on (update /var/run/utmp), -ln = off.
  • -list or -ls. Do nothing, just list our SockDir.
  • -L Turn on output logging.
  • -m ignore $STY variable, do create a new screen session.
  • -O Choose optimal output rather than exact vt100 emulation.
  • -p window Preselect the named window if it exists.
  • -q Quiet startup. Exits with non-zero return code if unsuccessful.
  • -r Reattach to a detached screen process.
  • -R Reattach if possible, otherwise start a new session.
  • -s shell Shell to execute rather than $SHELL.
  • -S sockname Name this session <pid>.sockname instead of <pid>.<tty>.<host>.
  • -t title Set title. (window’s name).
  • -T term Use term as $TERM for windows, rather than “screen”.
  • -U Tell screen to use UTF-8 encoding.
  • -v Print.
  • -wipe Do nothing, just clean up SockDir.
  • -x Attach to a not detached screen. (Multi display mode).
  • -X Execute <cmd> as a screen command in the specified session.

Screen Log-in

  • Loin to Screen
  • Type the following command to log in to – “Screen”
  • screen
  • Detach a session
  • To detach a session “screen” and return to the shell connection, just type:
  • CTRL- a d
  • Note: “a” and “d” are small not capital “A” and “D”.
  • Resuming a session
  • To return to session, just type:
  • screen -r
  • Logging Off “screen”
  • To log off from “screen”, just type:
  • CTRL-a \
  • Split into two terminals
  • Ctrl+a S split terminal horizontally
  • Ctrl+a | split terminal vertically
  • Roll on the new window
  • Press CTRL-a TAB until you are in the new blank window, then press CTRL –a c to
  • create a new window.
  • Open a new terminal
  • CTRL –a  c
  • To select a particular window
  • CTRL –a
  • Resize a window
  • CTRL-a: resize + n
  • Or to reduce
  • CTRL-a: resize – n
  • Or to put all the windows the same size:
  • CTRL-a: resize =

Conclusion:

Screen options are particularly useful for cPanel VPS & Linux Dedicated Server users, as they get root access to their machines.