.TH XSEL 1x "January 2008"
.SH NAME
xsel \- manipulate the X selection.
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B xsel
[\fIOPTION\fR]...
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
Retrieve and set the X selection.
.PP
The X server maintains three selections, called \fIPRIMARY\fR,
\fISECONDARY\fR and \fICLIPBOARD\fR. The PRIMARY selection is conventionally
used to implement copying and pasting via the middle mouse button. The
SECONDARY and CLIPBOARD selections are less frequently used by application
programs. This program operates on the PRIMARY selection unless otherwise
specified.
.PP
By default, this program outputs the selection without modification if both
standard input and standard output are terminals (ttys). Otherwise, the
current selection is output if standard output is not a terminal
(tty), and the selection is set from standard input if standard input
is not a terminal (tty). If any input or output options are given then
the program behaves only in the requested mode.
.PP
If both input and output is required then the previous selection is
output before being replaced by the contents of standard input.

.PP
\fBInput options\fR
.TP
\fB\-a\fR, \fB\-\-append\fR
append standard input to the selection. Implies \fB\-i\fR.
.TP
\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-follow\fR
append to selection as standard input grows. Implies \fB\-i\fR.
.TP
\fB\-i\fR, \fB\-\-input\fR
read standard input into the selection.

.PP
\fBOutput options\fR
.TP
\fB\-o\fR, \fB\-\-output\fR
write the selection to standard output.

.PP
\fBAction options\fR
.TP
\fB\-c\fR, \fB\-\-clear\fR
clear the selection. Overrides all \fIinput\fR options.
.TP
\fB\-d\fR, \fB\-\-delete\fR
Request that the current selection be deleted. This not only clears the
selection, but also requests to the program in which the selection
resides that the selected contents be deleted. Overrides all \fIinput\fR
options.

.PP
\fBSelection options\fR
.TP
\fB\-p\fR, \fB\-\-primary\fR
operate on the PRIMARY selection (default).
.TP
\fB\-s\fR, \fB\-\-secondary\fR
operate on the SECONDARY selection.
.TP
\fB\-b\fR, \fB\-\-clipboard\fR
operate on the CLIPBOARD selection.

.TP
\fB\-k\fR, \fB\-\-keep\fR
Do not modify the selections, but make the PRIMARY and SECONDARY selections
persist even after the programs they were selected in exit. (Conventionally,
the CLIPBOARD selection is persisted by a separate special purpose program
such as \fIxclipboard(1)\fR). Ignores all \fIinput\fR and \fIoutput\fR
options.
.TP
\fB\-x\fR, \fB\-\-exchange\fR
exchange the PRIMARY and SECONDARY selections. Ignores all \fIinput\fR
and \fIoutput\fR options.

.PP
\fBX options\fR
.TP
\fB\-\-display\fR \fIdisplayname\fR
specify the server to use; see \fIX(1)\fP.
.TP
\fB\-\-windowName\fR \fIwindowName\fR
specify the X WM_NAME window property; default is "xsel".
.TP
\fB\-t\fR \fIms\fR, \fB\-\-selectionTimeout\fR \fIms\fR
Specify the timeout in milliseconds within which the selection must be
retrieved. In \fB\-\-input\fR mode, the background process exits after this
amount of time. A value of \fB0\fR (zero) specifies no timeout (default).

.PP
\fBMiscellaneous options\fR
.TP
\fB\-l\fR \fIfilename\fR, \fB\-\-logfile\fR \fIfilename\fR
Specify the file to log errors to when detached. (Default
\fI$HOME/.xsel.log\fR)
.TP
\fB\-n\fR, \fB\-\-nodetach\fR
Do not detach from the controlling terminal. Without this option, xsel will
fork to become a background process in \fIinput\fR, \fIexchange\fR and
\fIkeep\fR modes.
.TP
\fB\-h\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
display usage information and exit
.TP
\fB\-v\fR, \fB\-\-verbose\fR
Print informative messages. Additional instances of \fI\-v\fR raise the
debugging level, ie. print more information.
.TP
\fB\-\-version\fR
output version information and exit
.PP
.SH NOTES
.PP
\fIThere is no X selection buffer.\fR The selection mechanism in X11 is
an interclient communication mediated by the X server each time any
program wishes to know the selection contents, eg. to perform a middle
mouse button paste. In order to implement modification of the selection(s)
(in \fIinput\fR, \fIkeep\fR and \fIexchange\fR modes) this program detaches
from the terminal, spawning a child process to supply the new selection(s)
on demand. This child exits immediately when any other program takes over
the selection(s), eg. when the user next selects some text in a terminal
window or by running \fBxsel \-c\fR.
.PP
.SH STANDARDS
xsel conforms to the Inter\-Client Communication Conventions Manual
Version 2.0 (ICCCM2).
.PP
.SH "SEE ALSO"
X(7), Xserver(1), xset(1), xclipboard(1), xpaste(1)
.PP
.SH AUTHOR
Conrad Parker <conrad@vergenet.net>, July 2001