How do you run a gnu screen within a gnu screen?

Question

Is it possible to run a gnu screen within a gnu screen? I'm not sure how the key bindings would work. I need to log into a server that is already running a screen session, from a local screen session.

Answer 1

Or you just hit ctrl-a followed by another ctrl-a to actually send the ctrl-a to the nested screen instance.

Answer 2

If you clear the $STY environment variable, running screen will start a nested session.

You then have to send a literal ^a to the nested session before using any of your bindings. You can send a literla ^a by pressing ^a followed by a (plain).

So to create a new window in the nested session you would press ^a, a, c.

Answer 3

Yes, it is possible. You will need to redefine screen's escape character, e.g. set it to E when you call screen

screen -e^Eq

Answer 4

'Ctrl-a a' sends a ctrl-a to the nested screen.

eg, if you want to add a new tab, you do 'ctrl-a a c'

if you want to disconnect: 'ctrl-a a d'