Re: how to switch session as X window workspace?

[CHEN Cheng]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 11:16:00AM -0500, Gerald Young wrote:
> To use multiple screen sessions, I run a main screen session that inside 
> contains windows running other screen sessions.
> 
> For example:
> * main session
>    - window 1: misc session
>    - window 2: coding session
>    - window 3: ssh session
> 
> And then each nested session has their own set of windows:
> * misc session
>    - window 1: bash
>    - window 2: etc
> * coding session
>    - window 1: vim file1
>    - window 2: make
> * ssh session
>    - window 1: ssh server1
>    - window 2: ssh server2
> 
> The main session has Ctrl+S as the screen command key (instead of Ctrl+A).  
> That way I control either the main session or any of the other sessions by 
> using Ctrl+S or Ctrl+A respectively. The "Ctrl+S 1" sequence would take me to 
> the misc session, for example.
> 
> I run the main session with something like:
> screen -e ^Ss -S main_session
> 
> And on the shell that pops up I run my other sessions (each on their own 
> window):
> screen -t misc_session screen -mS misc_session
> screen -t coding_session screen -mS coding_session
> screen -t ssh_session screen -mS ssh_session
> 

Hi Gerald, thanks so much for your enlightenment. The '-m' option
seems to be the key to nested sessions.

Below are my configurations (snippets) that I'd love to share
with you:

.screenrc:
escape \377\377         # disable C-a
bindkey -k k6 command
bind c screen screen -m -c $HOME/.screen.sub.rc
screen 0 screen -m -c $HOME/.screen.sub.rc

.screen.sub.rc
escape \377\377         # disable C-a
bindkey -k k7 command
bindkey -k k8 prev
bindkey -k k9 next

With function keys k6, k7, k8 and k9, I'm able to switch very
conveniently between sessions and windows within nested sessions.
To create a new session, I press f6 and c; to create a new
window, I press f7 and c; to switch to the next window within the
same session, I press f9; to switch to the next session, I press
f6 and n, and so on.

I also considered to use Ctrl-Alt-Left/Right keys, but it seems
they are not distinguished from Left/Right keys, or at least
under linux console terminal. So finally, I give them up.

Thanks again for your kind help,
Cheng