Unable to source .tmux.conf

Question

My .tmux.conf looks like this

    base-index 0
    bell-action any
    buffer-limit 9
    default-command ""
    default-path ""
    default-shell "/bin/bash"
    default-terminal "screen"
    destroy-unattached off
    detach-on-destroy on
    display-panes-colour blue
    display-panes-active-colour red
    display-panes-time 1000
    display-time 750
    history-limit 2000
    lock-after-time 0
    lock-command "lock -np"
    lock-server on
    message-attr none
    message-bg yellow
    message-fg black
    message-limit 20
    mouse-select-pane off
    pane-active-border-bg default
    pane-active-border-fg green
    pane-border-bg default
    pane-border-fg default
    set -g prefix `
    repeat-time 500
    set-remain-on-exit off
    set-titles off
    set-titles-string "#S:#I:#W - "#T""
    status on
    status-attr none
    status-bg green
    status-fg black
    status-interval 15
    status-justify left
    status-keys emacs
    status-left "[#S]"
    status-left-attr none
    status-left-bg default
    status-left-fg default
    status-left-length 10
    status-right ""#22T" %H:%M %d-%b-%y"
    status-right-attr none
    status-right-bg default
    status-right-fg default
    status-right-length 40
    status-utf8 off
    terminal-overrides "*88col*:colors=88,*256col*:colors=256"
    update-environment "DISPLAY SSH_ASKPASS SSH_AUTH_SOCK SSH_AGENT_PID SSH_CONNECTION WINDOWID XAUTHORITY"
    visual-activity off
    visual-bell off
    visual-content off
    visual-silence off

when I source it with

source .tmux.conf

It gives the following error

-bash: base-index: command not found
-bash: bell-action: command not found
-bash: buffer-limit: command not found
-bash: default-command: command not found
-bash: default-path: command not found
-bash: default-shell: command not found
-bash: default-terminal: command not found
-bash: destroy-unattached: command not found
-bash: detach-on-destroy: command not found
-bash: display-panes-colour: command not found
-bash: display-panes-active-colour: command not found
-bash: display-panes-time: command not found
-bash: display-time: command not found
-bash: history-limit: command not found
-bash: lock-after-time: command not found
-bash: lock-command: command not found
-bash: lock-server: command not found
-bash: message-attr: command not found
-bash: message-bg: command not found
-bash: message-fg: command not found
-bash: message-limit: command not found
-bash: mouse-select-pane: command not found
-bash: pane-active-border-bg: command not found
-bash: pane-active-border-fg: command not found
-bash: pane-border-bg: command not found
-bash: pane-border-fg: command not found
-bash: /home/srijan/.tmux.conf: line 27: unexpected EOF while looking for matching ``'
-bash: /home/srijan/.tmux.conf: line 56: syntax error: unexpected end of file

score 94 · Accepted Answer · edited May 08 '19 at 00:13

94

The problem is that you are trying to run it as a script file when it is a config that should sit in the root of your home directory, tmux will look for a file of that name in that location when you create a new session.

If you have a tmux session open you you can reload a config by typing

tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf

edited May 08 '19 at 00:13

T04435

12,507
5
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answered Jun 11 '13 at 10:26

Dave Sexton

10,768
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It worked perfectly. Thanks Dave :) Is there a way to do it outside tmux session? – Srijan Jun 11 '13 at 10:29
1

You can crate a script file and I think most of your commands will work but would need to be prefixed with the command tmux so that bash would understand. Check out http://pragprog.com/book/bhtmux/tmux for a really good book that covers scripting tmux. – Dave Sexton Jun 11 '13 at 11:00
7

@Srijan: You should be able to use `tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf` anywhere you can use any other shell command (assuming your shell expands `~/` appropriately). – Chris Johnsen Jun 12 '13 at 03:48
Also This can be done either from within tmux, by pressing `Ctrl+B` and then `:` to bring up a command prompt, and typing: ```:source-file ~/.tmux.conf``` [source](https://blog.sanctum.geek.nz/reloading-tmux-config/) – EsmaeelE May 15 '22 at 04:19

Unable to source .tmux.conf

1 Answers1