Screen

Intro

Screen is a full screen window manager, which divide a terminal between several processes. Using screen you can handle a task from on a PC, by detaching the terminal to which it is bound and resume it on another terminal or PC.

Screen read all typed commands through the shell from which it was launched. In order to interact directly with its window manager, it must automatically be launched using the sequence of keys "CTRL-a" followed by a key or another key sequence.

Opening a screen session

To open a screen session from a terminal (or Xterm) type the following command:

screen -r

Seperating a screen session

To detach a screen session and return to his connection shell, simply type:

CTRL-a  d

Return to a screen session

To return to a screen session, type:

screen –r

Closing a screen session

To close a screen session, simply type:

CTRL-a  

Note that :"" (backslash) is obtained using the following combination of keys "Alt Gr +8".

Seperating a window into several parts

The separation of your terminal into two parts is done in three phases. Note that you can repeat the procedure, split screen in more than two parts.

Splitting the terminal

CTRL-a  MAJ-s

Switch to the new window

CTRL-a  TAB

Open a new terminal

CTRL-a  c

Managing the different windows

Select a particular window

If several active windows:

CTRL-a   "

or

CTRL-a   n

or

CTRL-a   '

Resizing a window

To modify the size of a window, just:

To extend it:

CTRL-a :resize + n

To decrease the size:

CTRL-a :resize – n

Adjust all windows to the same size:

CTRL-a :resize =

Renaming a window

To rename a window, simply type:

CTRL-a  MAJ-a

Enter the new name for the window, and then validate using the Enter key.

Making use of screen

Connecting via ssh on machine B
Launch screen

screen

Launching a command for an active task
Hold task (suspending it)

CTRL + Z

Set to background

bg% 1

Protection of the task using nohup

nohup top & 

Seperating the screen

CTRL + a => d

Disconnect

exit

Launching screen on the machine B from a shell
Recovering the screen

screen-r

Verifying the task

jobs

Setting task as priority

fg %1

See also