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X11 Edit/COPY/Paste Option

Using X11 window the Edit copy option apparently functions however the paste option appears to be permanently greyed out-so that it is impossible to paste any lines that have been copied.

This does not appear to be case with Terminal which allows the user to copy and paste.

Are there any suggestions as to how to active the edit/paste option in X11

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Jan 6, 2009 2:43 PM

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2 replies

Jan 6, 2009 3:22 PM in response to gtbeagle

Copy and Paste in X11 works very differently than in Mac OS. To run X11 on a Mac, Apple had to integrate the two different paradigms.

In X11 there is no copy -- any text selection is immediately on the clipboard (but you can only have one selection at a time, across all X11 windows). Paste is done using the middle mouse button. In Apple's X11, a preference setting allows a keyboard shortcut to emulate the middle button. Thus, to copy and paste, make a selection, then paste with the middle button. There is no copy step. This works within X11, but not between X11 and non-X11 apps.

Outside of X11, copy using the usual Mac procedure. If there is no selection in X11, the Mac clipboard will be available as the X11 clipboard, but you paste into X11 using the X11 method. As soon as you make a selection in X11, it overrides the Mac clipboard (but only within X11). To copy from X11 to non-X11, use Edit>Copy to copy the current X11-selection into the Mac clipboard, then Mac Paste is available outside of X11.

I am sure you are thoroughly confused now. I don't know how it could be integrated any better without breaking either the Mac interface or the X11 interface or both. You'll have to play with it until you get the hang of it.

X11 Edit/COPY/Paste Option

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