tmux maintains a set of named paste buffers. Each buffer may be
either explicitly or automatically named. Explicitly named buffers
are named when created with the set-buffer or load-buffer commands,
or by renaming an automatically named buffer with set-buffer -n.
Automatically named buffers are given a name such as 'buffer0001',
'buffer0002' and so on. When the buffer-limit option is reached,
the oldest automatically named buffer is deleted. Explicitly named
buffers are not subject to buffer-limit and may be deleted with the
delete-buffer command.
Buffers may be added using copy-mode or the set-buffer and
load-buffer commands, and pasted into a window using the
paste-buffer command. If a buffer command is used and no buffer is
specified, the most recently added automatically named buffer is
assumed.
A configurable history buffer is also maintained for each window.
By default, up to 2000 lines are kept; this can be altered with the
history-limit option (see the set-option command above).
The buffer commands are as follows:
choose-buffer [-NZr] [-F format] [-f filter] [-K key-format] [-O
sort-order] [-t target-pane] [template]
Put a pane into buffer mode, where a buffer may be chosen
interactively from a list. Each buffer is shown on one
line. A shortcut key is shown on the left in brackets
allowing for immediate choice, or the list may be navigated
and an item chosen or otherwise manipulated using the keys
below. -Z zooms the pane. The following keys may be used
in buffer mode:
Key Function
Enter Paste selected buffer
Up Select previous buffer
Down Select next buffer
C-s Search by name or content
n Repeat last search
t Toggle if buffer is tagged
T Tag no buffers
C-t Tag all buffers
p Paste selected buffer
P Paste tagged buffers
d Delete selected buffer
D Delete tagged buffers
e Open the buffer in an editor
f Enter a format to filter items
O Change sort field
r Reverse sort order
v Toggle preview
q Exit mode
After a buffer is chosen, '%%' is replaced by the buffer
name in template and the result executed as a command. If
template is not given, "paste-buffer -b '%%'" is used.
-O specifies the initial sort field: one of 'time', 'name'
or 'size'. -r reverses the sort order. -f specifies an
initial filter: the filter is a format - if it evaluates to
zero, the item in the list is not shown, otherwise it is
shown. If a filter would lead to an empty list, it is
ignored. -F specifies the format for each item in the list
and -K a format for each shortcut key; both are evaluated
once for each line. -N starts without the preview. This
command works only if at least one client is attached.
clear-history [-t target-pane]
(alias: clearhist)
Remove and free the history for the specified pane.
delete-buffer [-b buffer-name]
(alias: deleteb)
Delete the buffer named buffer-name, or the most recently
added automatically named buffer if not specified.
list-buffers [-F format] [-f filter]
(alias: lsb)
List the global buffers. -F specifies the format of each
line and -f a filter. Only buffers for which the filter is
true are shown. See the FORMATS section.
load-buffer [-w] [-b buffer-name] [-t target-client] path
(alias: loadb)
Load the contents of the specified paste buffer from path.
If -w is given, the buffer is also sent to the clipboard
for target-client using the xterm(1) escape sequence, if
possible.
paste-buffer [-dpr] [-b buffer-name] [-s separator] [-t
target-pane]
(alias: pasteb)
Insert the contents of a paste buffer into the specified
pane. If not specified, paste into the current one. With
-d, also delete the paste buffer. When output, any
linefeed (LF) characters in the paste buffer are replaced
with a separator, by default carriage return (CR). A
custom separator may be specified using the -s flag. The
-r flag means to do no replacement (equivalent to a
separator of LF). If -p is specified, paste bracket
control codes are inserted around the buffer if the
application has requested bracketed paste mode.
save-buffer [-a] [-b buffer-name] path
(alias: saveb)
Save the contents of the specified paste buffer to path.
The -a option appends to rather than overwriting the file.
set-buffer [-aw] [-b buffer-name] [-t target-client] [-n
new-buffer-name] data
(alias: setb)
Set the contents of the specified buffer to data. If -w is
given, the buffer is also sent to the clipboard for
target-client using the xterm(1) escape sequence, if
possible. The -a option appends to rather than overwriting
the buffer. The -n option renames the buffer to
new-buffer-name.
show-buffer [-b buffer-name]
(alias: showb)
Display the contents of the specified buffer.
