Linux Screen Command Examples
Installing Screen
Linux screen command already installs on system. You can find screen command in /usr/bin/screen on most RHEL & CentOS distributions. You can find this out from which command in command line.
[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# which screen
/usr/bin/screen
[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# yum install screen
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package screen.x86_64 0:4.0.3-16.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
====================================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
====================================================================================================
Installing:
screen x86_64 4.0.3-16.el6 base 494 k
Transaction Summary
====================================================================================================
Install 1 Package(s)
Total download size: 494 k
Installed size: 795 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
screen-4.0.3-16.el6.x86_64.rpm | 494 kB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : screen-4.0.3-16.el6.x86_64 1/1
Verifying : screen-4.0.3-16.el6.x86_64 1/1
Installed:
screen.x86_64 0:4.0.3-16.el6
Complete!
Starting Screen Command
As we put all commands on linux server command line, screen command is also started from it:[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# screen
Type “Ctrl-a” and “?” without quotes and see all parameters or commands in which guide you how to use screen.
Creating Screen Windows
After entering into screen you just use “Ctrl-a” “c” to create a new window in the default prompt and your old window will be still activated.If you run any command in newly created screen window and after that switch to another window to do other things. Now you will see previous command in old window will be still running.
Switching Windows
“Ctrl-a” “n” screen command allows you to move forward and back. In the above creating window example to switch on screen window to other screen window, this command “Ctrl-a” “n” switches you to the next window. This command work like a circle around to your first window.Command with “n” option forward to next window and command with “p” option move to previous window.
Each command in different windows will continue its process until you kill that window.
Detaching From Screen
While using screen command if you need to drop into actual shell. You have a detaching option to exit screen command with “Ctrl-a” “d”. This command has an option to reattach the previous screen. So that we can consider it the powerful part of the screen. For example, if you are using rsync command to copy server data to another server. I would recommend to run rsync command into screen to avoid break the session due to any reason. After detaching the screen your all windows will be still threr and safe.Reattach Linux Screen
You have an option to reattach the screen. However you detach your connection from the screen or your connection lost due to network or some other reason.[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# screen -r
If you have multiple screens you may get below message:
[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# screen -r
There are several suitable screens on:
27458.pts-0.linuxpathfinder (Detached)
27447.pts-0.linuxpathfinder (Detached)
Type "screen [-d] -r [pid.]tty.host" to resume one of them.
[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# screen -ls
There are screens on:
27832.pts-0.linuxpathfinder (Detached)
27899.pts-0.linuxpathfinder (Detached)
2 Sockets in /var/run/screen/S-root.
[root@linuxpathfinder ~]# screen -r 27458.pts-0.linuxpathfinder
Logging Screen Output
As you are a Linux Administrator and manages many Linux servers like backups, configurations, taking logs etc. So sometime needs recording screen command logs. Let’s say you are using screen command activate with logging function, to activate logging function press “Ctrl-a” “h” . Now you do not need to put down even a single command which you did. When you activate logs function a notification tells you at the bottom left side of the screen. It creates logfile name “screenlog.0″ and save into your home directory.Everything save into the logfile you write down in screen window. Press again same command to close screen to running log activity.
Getting Alerts on Screen
Another great feature of screen is to monitor a window for any activity. If you are waiting for output of your activity, something compiling or uploading/downloading large files, you can press “Ctrl-a” “m” to look for output at the bottom of the page of your activity.Lock Screen Session
Lock the screen also have another feature of screen command specially when you need to step away from your system due to any reason. You just need to press “Ctrl-a” “x” shortcut to lock the screen. When you press the shortcut the output become look like as show below.Screen used by root <root>.
Password:
Leave/Exit Screen
There are two options to leave or exit the screen. First we detach the screen with “Ctrl-a” “d” and the second option is to exit command to terminating session or use “Ctrl-a” “k” to kill the screen.There are still a numerous features of screen command. We only discussed such features which are implement on daily basis.
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