How to scroll in a Ubuntu terminal using arrow keys
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up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I get some standard output in a terminal and try to use the arrow keys to scroll up but instead it gives me previous commands.
Page up and page down do nothing.
Using the scroll bar is extremely difficult because it moves about a page per micro-inch. Please tell me there is a way to get sensible scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent) on a Ubuntu terminal?
I see nothing in the preferences for scrolling.
ubuntu terminal scrolling
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I get some standard output in a terminal and try to use the arrow keys to scroll up but instead it gives me previous commands.
Page up and page down do nothing.
Using the scroll bar is extremely difficult because it moves about a page per micro-inch. Please tell me there is a way to get sensible scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent) on a Ubuntu terminal?
I see nothing in the preferences for scrolling.
ubuntu terminal scrolling
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I get some standard output in a terminal and try to use the arrow keys to scroll up but instead it gives me previous commands.
Page up and page down do nothing.
Using the scroll bar is extremely difficult because it moves about a page per micro-inch. Please tell me there is a way to get sensible scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent) on a Ubuntu terminal?
I see nothing in the preferences for scrolling.
ubuntu terminal scrolling
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
I get some standard output in a terminal and try to use the arrow keys to scroll up but instead it gives me previous commands.
Page up and page down do nothing.
Using the scroll bar is extremely difficult because it moves about a page per micro-inch. Please tell me there is a way to get sensible scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent) on a Ubuntu terminal?
I see nothing in the preferences for scrolling.
ubuntu terminal scrolling
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
edited Aug 3 at 21:45
Jesse_b
10.1k12658
10.1k12658
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
asked Aug 3 at 21:16
Russ P.
4
4
Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago
Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
You can use ⇧ Shift + PgUp and ⇧ Shift + PgDown to scroll in most terminals. The addition of ⇧ Shift stops the keypress from being sent through the terminal to applications, as of course happens if you just press PgUp and PgDown unmodifed.
These must, moreover, be the PgUp and PgDown on the editing keypad, not the ones on the calculator keypad.
⇠This is the editing keypad. If you have a laptop without a full 104/105/106/107/109-key keyboard, you will have to find its equivalent on your laptop keyboard, wherever that is.
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
I just noticed another link on the side here called "How to scroll in a terminal by line in GNOME Terminal 2.31.3." It turns out that you can use the arrow keys to scroll by holding down both shift and control! Who would have guessed?! So that gives me a workaround of sorts, but I think the arrow keys should work that way without having to hold down any other keys. Shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get basic functionality. Just my opinion.
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
You can use ⇧ Shift + PgUp and ⇧ Shift + PgDown to scroll in most terminals. The addition of ⇧ Shift stops the keypress from being sent through the terminal to applications, as of course happens if you just press PgUp and PgDown unmodifed.
These must, moreover, be the PgUp and PgDown on the editing keypad, not the ones on the calculator keypad.
⇠This is the editing keypad. If you have a laptop without a full 104/105/106/107/109-key keyboard, you will have to find its equivalent on your laptop keyboard, wherever that is.
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
You can use ⇧ Shift + PgUp and ⇧ Shift + PgDown to scroll in most terminals. The addition of ⇧ Shift stops the keypress from being sent through the terminal to applications, as of course happens if you just press PgUp and PgDown unmodifed.
These must, moreover, be the PgUp and PgDown on the editing keypad, not the ones on the calculator keypad.
⇠This is the editing keypad. If you have a laptop without a full 104/105/106/107/109-key keyboard, you will have to find its equivalent on your laptop keyboard, wherever that is.
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
You can use ⇧ Shift + PgUp and ⇧ Shift + PgDown to scroll in most terminals. The addition of ⇧ Shift stops the keypress from being sent through the terminal to applications, as of course happens if you just press PgUp and PgDown unmodifed.
These must, moreover, be the PgUp and PgDown on the editing keypad, not the ones on the calculator keypad.
⇠This is the editing keypad. If you have a laptop without a full 104/105/106/107/109-key keyboard, you will have to find its equivalent on your laptop keyboard, wherever that is.
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
You can use ⇧ Shift + PgUp and ⇧ Shift + PgDown to scroll in most terminals. The addition of ⇧ Shift stops the keypress from being sent through the terminal to applications, as of course happens if you just press PgUp and PgDown unmodifed.
These must, moreover, be the PgUp and PgDown on the editing keypad, not the ones on the calculator keypad.
⇠This is the editing keypad. If you have a laptop without a full 104/105/106/107/109-key keyboard, you will have to find its equivalent on your laptop keyboard, wherever that is.
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
edited 2 days ago
JdeBP
27.7k459133
27.7k459133
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
answered Aug 3 at 21:22
orekix
611
611
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
I don't see why this was downvoted. OP asked for "scrolling using the arrow keys (or something equivalent)"
– Jesse_b
Aug 3 at 21:43
1
1
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
shift + page up or page down does not work for me. It just prints a 3 or a 9
– Russ P.
Aug 3 at 22:59
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
I was baffled by what you meant by the "cursor keypad," but I finally found pgup and pgdn keys above the calculator keyboard. And they do work when I use them with the shift key. That's progress. But it seems a bit strange that I should have to use the shift to make these keys do what their name says they do. Also, it would be nice to have finer control using the arrow keys. If not the default mode, it seems to me that there should at least be a way in the get that mode in the scrolling preferences.
– Russ P.
2 days ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
I just noticed another link on the side here called "How to scroll in a terminal by line in GNOME Terminal 2.31.3." It turns out that you can use the arrow keys to scroll by holding down both shift and control! Who would have guessed?! So that gives me a workaround of sorts, but I think the arrow keys should work that way without having to hold down any other keys. Shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get basic functionality. Just my opinion.
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
I just noticed another link on the side here called "How to scroll in a terminal by line in GNOME Terminal 2.31.3." It turns out that you can use the arrow keys to scroll by holding down both shift and control! Who would have guessed?! So that gives me a workaround of sorts, but I think the arrow keys should work that way without having to hold down any other keys. Shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get basic functionality. Just my opinion.
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
I just noticed another link on the side here called "How to scroll in a terminal by line in GNOME Terminal 2.31.3." It turns out that you can use the arrow keys to scroll by holding down both shift and control! Who would have guessed?! So that gives me a workaround of sorts, but I think the arrow keys should work that way without having to hold down any other keys. Shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get basic functionality. Just my opinion.
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
I just noticed another link on the side here called "How to scroll in a terminal by line in GNOME Terminal 2.31.3." It turns out that you can use the arrow keys to scroll by holding down both shift and control! Who would have guessed?! So that gives me a workaround of sorts, but I think the arrow keys should work that way without having to hold down any other keys. Shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get basic functionality. Just my opinion.
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
answered 2 days ago
Russ P.
4
4
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
add a comment |Â
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
The basic functionality is of course for the key presses to be sent to the applications connected to the terminal as terminal input.
– JdeBP
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
I consider scrolling to be "basic functionality." And while I greatly appreciate the help that I got at this site, I shouldn't have had to come to a help forum just to figure out how to scroll in a terminal. It should be intuitive. Apparently some users like to use the arrow keys to select previous commands, but I have always just used !!, !<start of previous command to be selected>, or the bash history command. In my opinion, basic line-by-line scrolling is more fundamental than repeating previous commands and should be the default behavior for the arrow keys or at least an option.
– Russ P.
yesterday
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
You have not grasped the fundamentals of what such a terminal emulator is. It emulates a terminal. Terminals (can) have arrow keys. Users expect to use them with applications and expect them to be transmitted as ordinary terminal input. They are not, in the normal case, local functions on (character-based) terminals.
– JdeBP
20 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
Perhaps, but you have not grasped the concept that basic functionality should be intuitive and obvious when possible. Ask Steve Jobs. I don't want to be an expert on terminal emulators; I want to use one to do my job.
– Russ P.
11 hours ago
add a comment |Â
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Which "Ubuntu terminal"? The choice of terminal emulators is in the double figures. Which one are you actually asking about?
– JdeBP
2 days ago
I'm using GNOME terminal 3.28.1, the one that came "out of the box."
– Russ P.
2 days ago
Several come "out of the box", a notion that has not very much meaning on a package-based operating system like Ubuntu in any event.
– JdeBP
2 days ago