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I was trying to learn how to use the bind-key [-cnr] [-t key-table] key command [arguments] better, but was having some trouble figuring out what "valid keys" are for bind-key command.

I tried doing man tmux and Google too, but I couldn't find anything useful.

  • How can I figure out what the syntax for valid keys are?
  • Is there a help command or a man page for this?
  • Maybe I don't know the technical term for this valid keys, is there a term for these keys so that I can do a better google search?

For example, I was trying to figure out what the following remapping of commands meant:

bind-key -n M-S-Left resize-pane -L 2 bind-key -n M-S-Right resize-pane -R 2 bind-key -n M-S-Up resize-pane -U 2 bind-key -n M-S-Down resize-pane -D 4

The -n was easy to find in the man page (doesn't need prefix). But I can't figure out what M-S-Left key means.

I am guessing that its mapping shift and the left arrow plus whatever M means to the resize-pane -L 2 command.

  • How do I figure out what M means?
  • What if I wanted control + whatever key I wanted. Is control = C ?
  • How can I figure this out without just trying random keys on my keyboard until something works?
  • Also, how do I confirm, figure out if I am not mapping it to a key set that is already used?
  • Is there such a thing as "show all aliases" or something?
  • As an addition to the question, are these valid keys the same as the ones for vim?

The thing is that vim seems to have a different scripting for its own language since it sometimes require and stuff.

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    M stands for Meta which is the Alt key on a PC keyboard. Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 18:11
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    thanks for that particular example! But it would be nice to know in general how to be able to figure this type of things on my own without having to come to stachexchange to ask for each key that I need. Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 18:16
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    I hope I answered your questions :). I'll try to find an answer for the vim questions :). Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 18:41
  • yes it did! that was awesome! Thanks! :) It didn't let me accept cuz u answered so soon after I posted the question! lol :) thnx again. :) Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 18:42
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    Haha no probs :). tmux is awesome! Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 18:48

2 Answers 2

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Available Keys

Look at man tmux, search / for KEY BINDINGS:

tmux allows a command to be bound to most keys, with or without a prefix key.

When specifying keys, most represent themselves (for example ‘A’ to ‘Z’). Ctrl keys may be prefixed with ‘C-’ or ‘^’, and Alt (meta) with ‘M-’.

In addition, the following special key names are accepted:

Up, Down, Left, Right, BSpace, BTab, DC (Delete), End, Enter, Escape, F1 to F20, Home, IC (Insert), NPage/PageDown/PgDn, PPage/PageUp/PgUp, Space, and Tab. Note that to bind the ‘"’ or ‘'’ keys, quotation marks are necessary [...]

M-S-Left should be Alt+Shift+Left for example.

List all bound keys

To list all key bindings, simply press Ctrl-b then ? while in a tmux session.

This is also documented in man tmux in section EXAMPLES:

Typing ‘C-b ?’ lists the current key bindings in the current window; up and down may be used to navigate the list or ‘q’ to exit from it.

You can also list all key-bindings via tmux list-keys. If you want to check for already set keys, you can grep it's output to check, if it's already set.

Research

To find more via Google, search for Section names in man tmux - just type in tmux default key bindings for example :). But often man tmux is sufficient.

This site is a very good documentation about tmux and pops up, if you search for said string in Google.

Arch wiki is always good, too.

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  • how does one actually use alt for MAC computers? I guess its different from the option key. Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 22:19
  • @CharlieParker "Alt" would be the "Meta" key .... In Mac OS terminal, in Terminal preferences, under "Profiles", choose a profile (like the one you're using), then in "Keyboard" tab, there is a checkbox, "Use Option as Meta key". Then you can use the alt/option key for Meta ... not sure what the default "Meta" keybinding is on Mac though ... might be Command, but Command doesn't get sent to the terminal session; appears to be grabbed by the system first. Commented Dec 17, 2016 at 20:17
  • And apparently "BTab" means "Shift-Tab" ... not sure what "BSpace" is ... when I tried to map something to "BSpace" and then tried to trigger with prefix, Shift+Space, it ended up doing "Next Layout" which is by default bound to prefix, space. Commented Dec 17, 2016 at 20:24
  • F keys > 12 have changed : github.com/tmux/tmux/commit/… Commented Feb 5, 2017 at 19:46
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This is the full list of 'extended' key names available in tmux 2.2 (ripped from the source):

 /* Function keys. */ F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 IC DC Home End NPage PageDown PgDn PPage PageUp PgUp Tab BTab Space BSpace Enter Escape /* Arrow keys. */ Up Down Left Right /* Numeric keypad. */ KP/ KP* KP- KP7 KP8 KP9 KP+ KP4 KP5 KP6 KP1 KP2 KP3 KPEnter KP0 KP. /* Mouse keys. */ MouseDown1Pane MouseDown1Status MouseDown1Border MouseDown2Pane MouseDown2Status MouseDown2Border MouseDown3Pane MouseDown3Status MouseDown3Border MouseUp1Pane MouseUp1Status MouseUp1Border MouseUp2Pane MouseUp2Status MouseUp2Border MouseUp3Pane MouseUp3Status MouseUp3Border MouseDrag1Pane MouseDrag1Status MouseDrag1Border MouseDrag2Pane MouseDrag2Status MouseDrag2Border MouseDrag3Pane MouseDrag3Status MouseDrag3Border MouseDragEnd1Pane MouseDragEnd1Status MouseDragEnd1Border MouseDragEnd2Pane MouseDragEnd2Status MouseDragEnd2Border MouseDragEnd3Pane MouseDragEnd3Status MouseDragEnd3Border WheelUpPane WheelUpStatus WheelUpBorder WheelDownPane WheelDownStatus WheelDownBorder

These can be used in addition to ASCII printable characters set and combined with M-, C-, and S- prefixes.

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  • No Alt-Gr makes me sad. Wonder how hard would it be to add. Commented Feb 6, 2017 at 15:30

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