How can I set up GNU screen to allow the mouse's scrollwheel to scroll around in the scrollback buffer? I tried to Google about this, but most hits were on how to allow applications inside screen to use the scrollwheel.
10 Answers
I believe you can just add a line like this to your ~/.screenrc:
termcapinfo xterm* ti@:te@
Where "xterm*" is a glob match of your current TERM. To confirm it works, ^A^D to detach from your screen, then screen -d -r to reattach, then ls a few times, and try to scroll back. It works for me.
What is this magic? Well, let's consult the manual pages.
screen(1) says:
termcapinfo term terminal-tweaks [window-tweaks]
[..]
The first argument specifies which terminal(s) should be affected by this
definition. You can specify multiple terminal names by separating them with
`|'s. Use `*' to match all terminals and `vt*' to match all terminals that
begin with "vt".
[..]
Some examples:
termcap xterm* LP:hs@
Informs screen that all terminals that begin with `xterm' have firm
auto-margins that allow the last position on the screen to be updated (LP),
but they don't really have a status line (no 'hs' - append `@' to turn
entries off). Note that we assume `LP' for all terminal names that start
with "vt", but only if you don't specify a termcap command for that terminal.
From termcap(5):
String capabilities
[..]
te End program that uses cursor motion
ti Begin program that uses cursor motion
In screen, you must first enter "scrollback mode" (or "copy mode") to be able to scroll around in the scrollback buffer: key combo Ctrl-a Esc, or Ctrl-a Ctrl-[. Then you can scroll around the history using Up and Down keys (or Ctrl-b, Ctrl-f to move a page).
In that mode, your mousewheel should also work, if it works in other apps. You end "scrollback mode" with Esc.
As for scrolling the scrollback buffer without first entering scrollback mode, that is probably not possible without modifying screen. I have never heard of a way to access the scrollback buffer, apart from scrollback mode.
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