• ob-tmux
• Installation
  • Configuration
• Usage
• Known bugs and or possible issues
• Contributions

ob-tmux

Ob-tmux is an Emacs library that allows org mode to evaluate code blocks in a tmux session.

Ob-tmux is useful for keeping notes on how to perform tasks in the terminal, especially when some interactivity is required. The functionality can be used to document software installation, build instructions, and administrative tasks. The documentation can be tested and adjusted while it is written.

Installation

Unfortunately, ob-tmux has not yet been added to melpa. You will need to copy the ob-tmux.el file to a directory in your load-path.

Configuration

In your .emacs or .emacs.d/init.el file, add the following:

  (require 'ob-tmux)
  (setq org-babel-default-header-args:tmux
    '((:results . "silent")		;
      (:session . "default")	; The default tmux session to send code to
      ;; You can use xterm or gnome terminal
      (:terminal . "gnome-terminal")))

  ;; The tmux sessions are prefixed with the following string.
  ;; You can customize this if you like.
  (setq org-babel-tmux-session-prefix "org-babel-session-")

  ;; Syntax highlighting can be added with the following line:
  (add-to-list 'org-src-lang-modes (cons "tmux" 'sh))

  ;; Finally, if your tmux is not in your $PATH for whatever reason, you
  ;; may set the path to the tmux binary as follows:
  (setq org-babel-tmux-location "/usr/bin/tmux")

Usage

You can start a new terminal window with a tmux session as follows:

#+BEGIN_SRC tmux :session hello
echo hello
#+END_SRC

If you press C-c C-c with your point in the code block, a terminal window will pop up with a new tmux session named org-babel-session-hello.

You can continue work in this session with another code block.

#+BEGIN_SRC tmux :session hello
echo world
#+END_SRC

If you press C-c C-c now, no new terminal window will open, but the code will be sent to the existing tmux session.

You can also specify to which tmux window the source block should be sent. If the tmux window does not yet exist, ob-tmux will create it. To specify the window, you may use the tmux target syntax. In the following example, the :session argument has been changed to hello:new-world:

#+BEGIN_SRC tmux :session hello:new-window
echo hello world in new-window
#+END_SRC

Executing this code block will add a window, new-window, to your session.

You can exit your tmux session by detaching. The terminal window will close automatically. Ob-tmux will not detect that you have detached. Any commands you send will be sent to the tmux session in the background. You can reattach to your tmux session at any time and check that the commands have indeed been executed.

Tip. Ob-tmux is also very useful for restarting your tmux sessions after a reboot. Take a Look at the following snippet.

** Startup tmux
Use ~C-c C-v s~ to execute subtree.
*** Jupyter
#+BEGIN_SRC tmux :session daemons:jupyter
cd ~/projects/notebooks/
jupyter notebook
#+END_SRC
*** htop
#+BEGIN_SRC tmux session daemons:htop
htop
#+END_SRC
*** dmesg
#+BEGIN_SRC tmux :session daemons:dmesg
dmesg
#+END_SRC

If your point is on the Startup tmux header, you can execute all code blocks in the subtree with C-c C-v s to restart your favorite tmux sessions.

Known bugs and or possible issues

My tmux indexes start at 1. By default, tmux window indexes start at zero. This might lead to problems. I have not yet checked.

Terminals other than xterm and gnome-terminal have not been tested. If you have positive or negative experiences with any other terminal, let me know.

I will try to respond within a week to any issues raised. I cannot promise I will fix them.

Contributions

Contributions are always welcome. Please be in touch before you make sweeping changes or add large features. This may prevent disappointment and will help me help you.