Re: Copy Paste in no-x11 mode (emacs -nw)

[Nikolaj Schumacher]

"Simeon Nifos" <archwndas@googlemail.com> wrote:

>> "Simeon Nifos" <archwndas@googlemail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Dear list,
>>> I like using emacs in nox11 mode. The Eterm terminal provides a great
>>> font by default I really enjoy. It is smaller and I can work on more
>>> source code than I do with the misc-fixed font of Xterm. So I usually
>>> run emacs  with -nw.

Please note that running without -nw is very different from running in
Xterm.  I'm not sure if you're clear on that (based on that sentence).

Running it in X gives you a very configurable appearance, including free
choice of font and size.

>>> This is a real headache, since one of the most foundamental stuff an
>>> editor is supposed to do, is to support copy and paste of text from
>>> whatsoever source to the window where editing takes place.
>>
>> No.
>
> Really? Why not? Why so fundamental things which is common sense
> are so easilly thrown into trash from Unixers?

I think he was not saying that Emacs shouldn't do it, but that Emacs
can't do it.  When you copy from "whatsoever" source, you copy using it
using X, right?  But since Emacs runs in a terminal, it doesn't have
access to X, only the terminal has.  It is all abstracted away by the
terminal.

Now, terminals generally support copy & paste with the regular Ctrl+c
and Ctrl+v shortcuts (sometimes Ctrl+Shift+c).  They then pass this text
to the program (Emacs) as input.  Emacs has no way of knowing that this
was pasted, not entered on the keyboard.

>> Copy/Paste is a function of the terminal, not Emacs, when you run
>> Emacs in a terminal.
>
> Hmmm, it seems however that VIM does it. I am working on the same
> Eterm, terminal with VIM and the same thing works like a charm. Why
> shouldn't it work with the famous EMACS as well?

What are you using to paste in vim.  "p"?  To my knowledge that
shouldn't work, either.  (And doesn't, on my machine.)

> Can you? I am using Linux. But the same holds for FreeBSD, Solaris.
> Look what I get when I try to paste something on the terminal where
> EMACS runs; I mean paste something outside emacs from another
> emacs window or vim window or the browser. This is what is reported
>   down in the command-buffer: "Kill ring is empty"

As I said above, Emacs can't get access to the X clipboard.  Only the
terminal can.  You can use your terminal's paste function, if it has
one, though.



regards,
Nikolaj Schumacher