tmux-select-pane: Visual Pane Selection in tmux

Overview

tmux-select-pane provides an interactive visual interface for pane switching within the tmux environment. It allows you to quickly find and activate the desired pane, even in complex layouts.

Key Features

Visual pane list and selection
Search by pane name or content
Customizable key bindings
Various appearance customization options

Installation

tmux-select-pane is not a built-in tmux feature and is typically installed via a tmux plugin manager (TPM). If you don't have TPM installed, you'll need to install it first.

Install TPM (Optional)

If TPM is not installed, use the following command to install it.

git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm ~/.tmux/plugins/tpm

Add Plugin

Add the following line to your ~/.tmux.conf file to register the tmux-select-pane plugin.

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-select-pane'

# Other plugins...

run '~/.tmux/plugins/tpm/tpm'

Run Plugin Installation

Restart tmux or press `prefix + I` (uppercase i) within a tmux session to install the plugins.

Key Configuration Options

tmux-select-pane allows you to configure its behavior and appearance in various ways through your `.tmux.conf` file. Here are the key configuration options.

Key Binding Settings

Appearance Settings

Generated command:

Try combining the commands.

Description:

`tmux-select-pane` Executes the command.

Combine the above options to virtually execute commands with AI.

Usage Examples

tmux-select-pane is primarily used by adding key bindings to your `.tmux.conf` file. Here are common usage examples.

Add Default Key Binding

Add the following line to your `.tmux.conf` file to set `prefix + s` as the key to launch the pane selector. (Here, `prefix` is typically `C-b`.)

bind-key s run-shell "~/.tmux/plugins/tmux-select-pane/select_pane.sh"

Launch Pane Selector

Within a tmux session, press your configured key binding (e.g., `prefix + s`). All panes in the current session will be displayed visually. You can navigate with arrow keys or type to search for panes. Press `Enter` on the desired pane to switch to it.

Use Customized Key Binding

If you prefer to use a different key combination, such as `prefix + C-p` instead of `prefix + s`, you can configure it in your `.tmux.conf` as follows:

bind-key C-p run-shell "~/.tmux/plugins/tmux-select-pane/select_pane.sh"

Tips & Notes

Here are some tips and notes for using tmux-select-pane more effectively.

Recommended Usage

**Intuitive Key Bindings**: Set up key combinations you frequently use to launch the pane selector for better accessibility.
**Utilize Search Functionality**: When many panes are open, type part of a pane's name or content to quickly filter and find the desired pane.
**Customize Appearance**: Use the `@select-pane-` prefixed options in `.tmux.conf` to adjust border colors, background colors, etc., to your preference for improved readability.

Important Notes

**Verify TPM Installation**: If the plugin is not working correctly, ensure TPM is installed properly and that `run '~/.tmux/plugins/tpm/tpm'` is the last line in your `.tmux.conf`.
**Restart tmux or Source Config**: After modifying your `.tmux.conf` file, you need to either run `tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf` or restart the tmux server for the changes to take effect.