How to Use the Command 'xsel' (with Examples)

‘xsel’ is a command-line utility for X11 that enables users to interact with the clipboard or selection buffers from the terminal. It is primarily used to copy, paste, and manipulate text selections in environments that use the X Window System, such as Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Essentially, ‘xsel’ serves as a bridge between command-line utilities and GUI-based clipboard functionalities, enhancing productivity by allowing scripts and applications to programmatically handle clipboard contents without manual input.

Use case 1: Use a Command’s Output as Input to the Clipboard

Code:

echo 123 | xsel -ib

Motivation:

This use case highlights the convenience of using command outputs directly from the terminal and placing them into the clipboard, akin to performing a ‘Ctrl + C’ operation. It is particularly useful when you need to quickly transfer command-line output to a graphical application or when scripting operations that require text extraction and manual copying.

Explanation:

• echo 123: This command outputs the string “123” to the terminal.
• |: The pipe operator | is used to pass the output of one command as the input to another command.
• xsel -ib: Here, xsel is instructed to take input (-i) and copy it to the clipboard buffer (-b).

Example output:

After running the command, if you paste using ‘Ctrl + V’ in any text editor or input field, the number “123” will appear as the output.

Use case 2: Use the Contents of a File as Input of the Clipboard

Code:

cat path/to/file | xsel -ib

Motivation:

Transferring the entire contents of a file into the clipboard allows you to easily move data from scripts or text documents and use it elsewhere without opening the file in a text editor. This method is essential for automation tasks where manual intervention is minimized.

Explanation:

• cat path/to/file: The cat command reads the file located at path/to/file and outputs its contents.
• |: As before, the pipe redirects this output to xsel.
• xsel -ib: Transfers the input data into the clipboard buffer.

Example output:

When you paste with ‘Ctrl + V’ into a text editor, it shows the contents of the specified file.

Use case 3: Output the Clipboard’s Contents into the Terminal

Code:

xsel -ob

Motivation:

This command is beneficial for examining the current contents of the clipboard directly from the terminal. Instead of pasting into an application to check what is copied, you can easily view it on the terminal screen itself, making it helpful in debugging or scripting scenarios.

Explanation:

• xsel -ob: The -o option tells xsel to output the contents, and -b specifies the clipboard buffer from which to read.

Example output:

Whatever text is currently on the clipboard will be printed to the terminal window after executing this command.

Use case 4: Output the Clipboard’s Contents into a File

Code:

xsel -ob > path/to/file

Motivation:

Saving clipboard data to a file is crucial for logging or maintaining records without losing or overwriting clipboard contents. This capability is handy during research and data collection tasks or when dealing with long-form content that needs to be preserved in a file format.

Explanation:

• xsel -ob: Outputs the clipboard content to the terminal.
• >: Redirects the output into a specified file.
• path/to/file: This is the filename where clipboard data will be stored.

Example output:

The clipboard’s content is saved to the specified file, and no visible output appears in the terminal. You can open that file to see what was saved.

Use case 5: Clear the Clipboard

Code:

xsel -cb

Motivation:

Clearing the clipboard is useful for privacy reasons—ensuring that sensitive data isn’t left in memory accessible from other applications. It also helps in debugging or resetting workflows by ensuring that no older clipboard data interferes with new operations.

Explanation:

• xsel -cb: This command uses -c to clear the contents, specifically targeting the clipboard buffer (-b).

Example output:

After running this command, the clipboard is empty, and pasting (Ctrl + V) results in nothing being pasted.

Use case 6: Output the X11 Primary Selection’s Contents into the Terminal

Code:

xsel -op

Motivation:

This use case is unique to environments that support the X11 primary selection, commonly triggered by mouse selection and middle-click paste (without any keyboard involvement). It’s helpful when you need to retrieve text selected by your mouse but haven’t copied it to the clipboard via ‘Ctrl + C.’

Explanation:

• xsel -op: Outputs the primary selection buffer contents to the terminal using -o for output and -p to specify the primary selection.

Example output:

The text currently highlighted in your X11 environment appears in the terminal after executing the command.

Conclusion:

The ‘xsel’ command line tool is a powerful utility for managing clipboard and selection buffers in an environment that uses the X11 Window System. By providing multiple use cases, ranging from copying command outputs to the clipboard, clearing clipboard contents, to accessing the X11 primary selection, ‘xsel’ demonstrates its versatility and capacity to enhance workflow productivity and scripting capabilities. Whether used for single tasks or integrated into complex automation scripts, ‘xsel’ offers a seamless blend of command-line efficiency and graphical interface conveniences.