screen

by Mike on May 20, 2010

in Server Management

screen is an application that can allow you to create multiple sessions with one terminal connection.

Install screen on a CentOS system.

yum install screen

Install on Debian or Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install screen

Start the application by using the command “screen”.

[Press Space or Return to end.]

Command Options

 Command key:  ^A   Literal ^A:  a

break       ^B b         license     ,            removebuf   = 

clear       C            lockscreen  ^X x         reset       Z 

colon       :            log         H            screen      ^C c 

copy        ^[ [         login       L            select      ' 

detach      ^D d         meta        a            silence     _ 

digraph     ^V           monitor     M            split       S 

displays    *            next        ^@ ^N sp n   suspend     ^Z z 

dumptermcap .            number      N            time        ^T t 

fit         F            only        Q            title       A 

flow        ^F f         other       ^A           vbell       ^G 

focus       ^I           pow_break   B            version     v 

hardcopy    h            pow_detach  D            width       W 

help        ?            prev        ^H ^P p ^?   windows     ^W w 

history     { }          quit        \            wrap        ^R r 

info        i            readbuf     <            writebuf    > 

kill        K k          redisplay   ^L l         xoff        ^S s 

lastmsg     ^M m         remove      X            xon         ^Q q 



^]   paste .

 "    windowlist -b

-    select -

0    select 0

1    select 1

2    select 2

3    select 3

4    select 4

5    select 5

6    select 6

7    select 7

8    select 8

9    select 9

I    login on

O    login off

]    paste .

|    split -v

:kB: focus up

Here is a list of common commands, all starting with Ctrl+A

Ctrl+A t
9:02:46 May 19 m67 1.02 0.97 0.70

Create a new window.
Ctrl+A c

List the window number, starts with “0”.
Ctrl+A N
This is window 1 (bash).

Move to previous screen.
Ctrl+A p

Quit using screen.
Ctrl+A \
Really quit and kill all your windows [y/n]

Clear screen of all text including prompt.
Ctrl+A C

List Available windows.
Ctrl+A “
Num Name                                                                   Flags

0 bash                                                                       $
1 bash                                                                       $

Check version.
Ctrl+A v
screen 4.00.03jw4 (FAU) 2-May-06

Split Window
The split window with screen is a handy feature.  It allows you to connect to a remote server and split the window so that you can run two different applications and watch both.

Once you have screen running use this command to create a vertical split.
Ctrl+A S

You can move between screens using this command.
Ctrl+A tab

When you move to the new window create a new screen with:
Ctrl+A c

Create vertical split window.
Ctrl+A |

You can move between screens using this command.
Ctrl+A tab

When you move to the new window create a new screen with:
Ctrl+A c

You can terminate one window with this command:
Ctrl+A k

Lock  a window.
Ctrl+A x

Close a window.
Ctrl+A X

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