Scroll-Wheel Copy and Paste: Difference between revisions

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There is no standard ability to copy / cut / paste in the [[Terminal]] activity. There's a partial work-around if you have a USB mouse with a scroll-wheel which is also a third button (this setup is the norm).

In releases prior to [[8.1.0]] (such as the Ship.2 release that G1G1 owners received), there is no standard ability to copy / cut / paste in the [[Terminal Activity]]. There are several workarounds for the Ship.2 release that provide this functionality. This page has instructions for using the middle button (usually the scroll-wheel) of a mouse. An alternative is to [[Terminal_Activity#Paste_script|create a "paste" script]].

== External USB mouse ==

This requires a USB mouse with a scroll-wheel which is also a third button (common setup). It works for both pasting and copying.


If you have something in the paste buffer--for instance if you highlighted a command from a web page by highlighting it and copying with Ctrl-C--you can paste it to the command line.
If you have something in the paste buffer--for instance if you highlighted a command from a web page by highlighting it and copying with Ctrl-C--you can paste it to the command line.
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To copy something from Terminal, highlight the text. This effectively puts the highlighted text in a paste buffer. You can then paste it back into Terminal, or into another activity (such as [[Write]] or a web page text box) by clicking the scroll-wheel.
To copy something from Terminal, highlight the text. This effectively puts the highlighted text in a paste buffer. You can then paste it back into Terminal, or into another activity (such as [[Write]] or a web page text box) by clicking the scroll-wheel.


== Middle button on touchpad ==
This is a poor substitute for proper copy-paste ability, but is very useful when trying to do complicated instructions at the command line.


You can remap the right touchpad button to partly act as if it were the middle button of a mouse. This works for pasting, but not for copying.
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Open Terminal and type:
The following is also very useful in order to paste into the Terminal window without the need for an external USB mouse (both methods work perfectly for fine for pasting into Terminal, although I don't think they work for copying from the Terminal).
xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"


In order to restore the right trackpad button to default:
There's two different ways to paste into terminal without using extra hardware. The first is to create a script that does this. The second method is to remap the right touchpad button as the middle mouse button.
xmodmap -e "pointer = default"

1st method (taken from: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Ask_OLPC_a_Question_about_the_Network#Copy_and_Paste_into_Terminal_Window

Open a terminal and create a new file called "paste" in the home directory. In the file enter the following

#!/usr/bin/python
import pygtk
import gtk
cb = gtk.clipboard_get(selection = "PRIMARY")
print cb.wait_for_text()

Save then make the file executable by typing

chmod a+x paste

Finally to run the script to paste from the clipboard type

./paste


The second method (taken from: http://www.catmoran.com/olpc/

In order to map the the middle mouse button onto the trackpad's right button, open Terminal and type:

xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"

In order to restore the right trackpad button to default: xmodmap -e "pointer = default"


To make the change persist between reboots, go into root then create a file called ".xsession" in /home/olpc
To make the change persist between reboots, go into root then create a file called ".xsession" in /home/olpc


Add the following to the file:
Add the following to the file:
xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"

xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"


In order to paste, simply press the right touchpad button.
In order to paste, simply press the right touchpad button.

Latest revision as of 07:39, 8 December 2009

542-stopicon.png This page has a more up-to-date location: {{{link}}}


In releases prior to 8.1.0 (such as the Ship.2 release that G1G1 owners received), there is no standard ability to copy / cut / paste in the Terminal Activity. There are several workarounds for the Ship.2 release that provide this functionality. This page has instructions for using the middle button (usually the scroll-wheel) of a mouse. An alternative is to create a "paste" script.

External USB mouse

This requires a USB mouse with a scroll-wheel which is also a third button (common setup). It works for both pasting and copying.

If you have something in the paste buffer--for instance if you highlighted a command from a web page by highlighting it and copying with Ctrl-C--you can paste it to the command line.

Go to the Terminal, and click the scroll-wheel. It should paste what you have in the paste buffer. Remember that it will always paste it where the current cursor is, the mouse can't move the cursor in Terminal.

To copy something from Terminal, highlight the text. This effectively puts the highlighted text in a paste buffer. You can then paste it back into Terminal, or into another activity (such as Write or a web page text box) by clicking the scroll-wheel.

Middle button on touchpad

You can remap the right touchpad button to partly act as if it were the middle button of a mouse. This works for pasting, but not for copying.

Open Terminal and type:

xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"

In order to restore the right trackpad button to default:

xmodmap -e "pointer = default"

To make the change persist between reboots, go into root then create a file called ".xsession" in /home/olpc

Add the following to the file:

xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 3 2"

In order to paste, simply press the right touchpad button.