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(screen.info)Invoking Screen


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Invoking `Screen'
*****************

   Screen has the following command-line options:

`-a'
     Include _all_ capabilities (with some minor exceptions) in each
     window's termcap, even if `screen' must redraw parts of the display
     in order to implement a function.

`-A'
     Adapt the sizes of all windows to the size of the display.  By
     default, `screen' may try to restore its old window sizes when
     attaching to resizable terminals (those with `WS' in their
     descriptions, e.g.  `suncmd' or some varieties of `xterm').

`-c FILE'
     Use FILE as the user's configuration file instead of the default
     of `$HOME/.screenrc'.

`-d [PID.SESSIONNAME]'
`-D [PID.SESSIONNAME]'
     Do not start `screen', but instead detach a `screen' session
     running elsewhere (Note: Detach).  `-d' has the same effect as
     typing `C-a d' from the controlling terminal for the session.
     `-D' is the equivalent to the power detach key.  If no session can
     be detached, this option is ignored.  In combination with the
     `-r'/`-R' option more powerful effects can be achieved:

    `-d -r'
          Reattach a session and if necessary detach it first.

    `-d -R'
          Reattach a session and if necessary detach  or  even create
          it first.

    `-d -RR'
          Reattach a session and if necessary detach or create it.  Use
          the first session if more than one session is available.

    `-D -r'
          Reattach a session. If necessary detach  and  logout remotely
          first.

    `-D -R'
          Attach here and now. In detail this means: If a session  is
          running, then reattach. If necessary detach and logout
          remotely first.  If it was not running create it and notify
          the user.  This is the author's favorite.

    `-D -RR'
          Attach here and now. Whatever that  means, just do it.

     _Note_: It is a good idea to check the status of your sessions
     with `screen -list' before using this option.

`-e XY'
     Set the command character to X, and the character generating a
     literal command character (when typed after the command character)
     to Y.  The defaults are `C-a' and `a', which can be specified as
     `-e^Aa'.  When creating a `screen' session, this option sets the
     default command caracter. In a multiuser session all users added
     will start off with this command character. But when attaching to
     an already running session, this option only changes the command
     character of the attaching user.  This option is equivalent to the
     commands `defescape' or `escape' respectively.  (Note: Command
     Character).

`-f'
`-fn'
`-fa'
     Set flow-control to on, off, or automatic switching mode,
     respectively.  This option is equivalent to the `defflow' command
     (Note: Flow Control).

`-h NUM'
     Set the history scrollback buffer to be NUM lines high.
     Equivalent to the `defscrollback' command (Note: Copy).

`-i'
     Cause the interrupt key (usually `C-c') to interrupt the display
     immediately when flow control is on.  This option is equivalent to
     the `interrupt' argument to the `defflow' command (Note: Flow
     Control). Its use is discouraged.

`-l'
`-ln'
     Turn login mode on or off (for `/var/run/utmp' updating).  This
     option is equivalent to the `deflogin' command (Note: Login).

`-ls [MATCH]'
`-list [MATCH]'
     Do not start `screen', but instead print a list of session
     identification strings (usually of the form PID.TTY.HOST; Note:
     Session Name).  Sessions marked `detached' can be resumed with
     `screen -r'.  Those marked `attached' are running and have a
     controlling terminal.  If the session runs in multiuser mode, it
     is marked `multi'.  Sessions marked as `unreachable' either live
     on a different host or are dead.  An unreachable session is
     considered dead, when its name matches either the name of the
     local host, or the specified parameter, if any.  See the `-r' flag
     for a description how to construct matches.  Sessions marked as
     `dead' should be thoroughly checked and removed.  Ask your system
     administrator if you are not sure.  Remove sessions with the
     `-wipe' option.

`-L'
     Tell `screen' that your auto-margin terminal allows programs to
     write to the last column of the last row of the screen without
     scrolling.  This can also be set in your `.screenrc' by specifying
     `xn' in a `termcap' command (Note: Termcap).

`-m'
     Tell `screen' to ignore the `$STY' environment variable.  When
     this option is used, a new session will always be created,
     regardless of whether `screen' is being called from within another
     `screen' session or not. This flag has a special meaning in
     connection with the `-d' option:
    `-d -m'
          Start `screen' in _detached_ mode. This creates a new session
          but doesn't attach to it. This is useful for system startup
          scripts.

    `-D -m'
          This also starts `screen' in _detached_ mode, but doesn't fork
          a new process. The command exits if the session terminates.

`-q'
     Suppress printing of error messages. In combination with `-ls' the
     exit value is set as follows: 9 indicates a directory without
     sessions. 10 indicates a directory with running but not attachable
     sessions. 11 (or more) indicates 1 (or more) usable sessions.  In
     combination with `-r' the exit value is as follows: 10 indicates
     that there is no session to resume. 12 (or more) indicates that
     there are 2 (or more) sessions to resume and you should specify
     which one to choose.  In all other cases `-q' has no effect.

`-r [PID.SESSIONNAME]'
`-r SESSIONOWNER/[PID.SESSIONNAME]'
     Resume a detached `screen' session.  No other options (except
     combinations with `-d' or `-D') may be specified, though the
     session name (Note: Session Name) may be needed to distinguish
     between multiple detached `screen' sessions.  The second form is
     used to connect to another user's screen session which runs in
     multiuser mode. This indicates that screen should look for
     sessions in another user's directory. This requires setuid-root.

`-R'
     Resume the first appropriate detached `screen' session.  If
     successful, all other command-line options are ignored.  If no
     detached session exists, start a new session using the specified
     options, just as if `-R' had not been specified.  This option is
     set by default if screen is run as a login-shell (actually screen
     uses `-xRR' in that case).  For combinations with the `-D'/`-d'
     option see there.

`-s PROGRAM'
     Set the default shell to be PROGRAM.  By default, `screen' uses
     the value of the environment variable `$SHELL', or `/bin/sh' if it
     is not defined.  This option is equivalent to the `shell' command
     (Note: Shell).

`-S SESSIONNAME'
     Set the name of the new session to SESSIONNAME.  This option can
     be used to specify a meaningful name for the session in place of
     the default TTY.HOST suffix.  This name identifies the session for
     the `screen -list' and `screen -r' commands.  This option is
     equivalent to the `sessionname' command (Note: Session Name).

`-t NAME'
     Set the title (name) for the default shell or specified program.
     This option is equivalent to the `shelltitle' command (Note:
     Shell).

`-U'
     Run screen in UTF-8 mode. This option tells screen that your
     terminal sends and understands UTF-8 encoded characters. It also
     sets the default encoding for new windows to `utf8'.

`-v'
     Print the version number.

`-wipe [MATCH]'
     List available screens like `screen -ls', but remove destroyed
     sessions instead of marking them as `dead'.  An unreachable
     session is considered dead, when its name matches either the name
     of the local host, or the explicitly given parameter, if any.  See
     the `-r' flag for a description how to construct matches.

`-x'
     Attach to a session which is already attached elsewhere
     (multi-display mode).

`-X'
     Send the specified command to a running screen session. You can use
     the `-d' or `-r' option to tell screen to look only for attached
     or detached screen sessions. Note that this command doesn't work
     if the session is password protected.


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