How to copy terminal content programmatically?

Question

How can i read the content of a xterm or terminal, only by knowing its device number? Similar to moving the mouse over the text.

Redirecting or cloning the terminal output to a file would be an option too, as long it could be done without interacting with commands executed in this terminal. So nothing like 'command > myfile'.

Or is the only way to solve this a print screen with ocr or simulating mouse moves and clicks?

Edit: I m looking for a solution that reads the content regardless of his origin, p.e. 'echo "to tty" > /dev/pts/1'

Maybe the answer of this question http://stackoverflow.com/questions/29987557/xterm-dump-of-full-scrollable-window-content could help you. — Thomas Baruchel, Nov 08 '15 at 16:02

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 20 '13 at 02:02

The script command may work for you.

"Script makes a typescript of everything printed on your terminal. It is useful for students who need a hardcopy record of an interactive session as proof of an assignment, as the typescript file can be printed out later" - man script

You can even pass script as command when invoking xterm with -e:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ xterm -e script
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ # A new xterm is started.  uname is run, then exit
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ # The output is captured to a file called typescript, by default:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat typescript
Script started on Tue 19 Nov 2013 06:00:07 PM PST
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ uname
Linux
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ exit
exit

Script done on Tue 19 Nov 2013 06:00:13 PM PST
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Unfortunately direct writing to the console via 'echo "AAAAAAAAAAAAAa" > /dev/pts/1' isn't recorded. — inselberg, Nov 20 '13 at 06:24

How to copy terminal content programmatically?

1 Answers1