How do I select all text from a file with nano?

Question

I open a file in Ubuntu nano editor from the comand line and I want to copy all the contents of the file so I can paste it in an another application outside the shell.

So far I can only copy using shift on the screen that is visible but not on all content.

Solution 1

You can't use the buffer of nano to use it elsewhere, you need to use the buffer of X or Gnome.

xclip is the solution.

A command line interface to the X11 clipboard. It can also be used for copying files, as an alternative to sftp/scp, avoiding password prompts when X11 forwarding has already been setup.

Solution 2

There is a possible way:

• Cursor at the beginning of a file

• Ctrl6 to set a mark

• AltShiftT (or try AltT) to cut to the end of the file

• If AltT doesn't work, try CtrlK

• to just copy the file content do CtrlU to uncut the text again

Solution 3

you can use cat and then copy it from the console:

cat path/to/file.yml

Select the output printed in the console.

Solution 4

Alternatively you can zoom out using Ctrl+- to fit all the file contents on 'one screen page' and select everything using the mouse. After you zoom back with Ctrl+0 or zoom in progressively with Ctrl++.

I don't like the mouse part, but this is a fast way to copy bulk text in nano.

Solution 5

Actually, this answer might be a bit late but I was looking for an answer for the same question and I just figured it out. when you have the file you want to copy to open in nano. you can hit ctl-R and enter the file you want copied from. this will bring in the whole file.

In my case I was just copying my old fstab so it wasn't a big deal. but could get ridiculous with huge files.

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Comments

[MBraedley]

Are you in a command line only environment? If not, why don't you open the file in something like gedit?

[Elzo Valugi]

I don't have gedit on that machine and I want to learn to do it in nano.

[Sliq]

Btw this is why I hate linux and the command-line: In theory a wonderful thing, but in reality extremely unuintutive, even the most simple and common things don't work like expected. Usability Super-Fail.

[devasia2112]

nano is not powerful. just to edit some config files it is pretty ok, but as an code editor it sucks!

[PJ Brunet]

Question is too vague and the answers are all over the map as a result, leading to confusion. Typically you use nano on a remote server, not your desktop computer. This sounds more like a question about your terminal emulator, which is how you access nano. I really think the question should be changed or flagged for removal.

[Joel Davey]

Agree with above the answers here are confusing

[Black]

Thats why vim is much better.

[Ashish Viradiya]

try cat command and copy the content.

[Elzo Valugi]

nice trick, but I wanted a copy not a cut.

[A.D.]

this works only inside nano - after you'll close it you can not uncut it in another app as OP wanted.

[fIwJlxSzApHEZIl]

how do you get text OUT of nano? that's what I need to figure out

[Toto]

That doesn't answer the question.

[MasterMind]

I needed to press Alt-A to mark on a MAC

[andilabs]

xsel: Can't open display: (null) : Inappropriate ioctl for device

[Paulo Coghi]

Easy and interesting. It works even on very large files.

[Paulo Coghi]

It's incredible how simple and creative ideas can solve hard problems.

[My Name]

This is simple and efficient

[ckujau]

The question was how to do this from within the nano editor, which may or may not be possible.

[Narcarsiss]

Reason I mentioned this, was I was trying to do the same thing. Then you just right click in nano window and it pasts the text. Downvoting isnt convenient.

[Roberth Solís]

I think so, that was very funny, this guy is amazing lol, Why didn't I think about it earlier?

[Verny Rivera]

this is a valid answer even when this solution was already in place superuser.com/a/1231864/752096

[DropHit]

Thats badasssss.....

[UpTheCreek]

The best answer here

[panoet]

Simplest one, no complicated step.