Copy fix for tmux (only prioritize osc52 method for remote sessions)

Author: jahooma

cli/src/testing/env.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ export const createTestCliEnv = (overrides: Partial<CliEnv> = {}): CliEnv => ({
   ...createTestBaseEnv(),
 
   // CLI-specific defaults
+  SSH_CLIENT: undefined,
+  SSH_TTY: undefined,
+  SSH_CONNECTION: undefined,
   KITTY_WINDOW_ID: undefined,
   SIXEL_SUPPORT: undefined,
   ZED_NODE_ENV: undefined,

cli/src/types/env.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ export type CliEnv = BaseEnv & {
   TMUX?: string
   STY?: string
 
+  // SSH/remote session detection
+  SSH_CLIENT?: string
+  SSH_TTY?: string
+  SSH_CONNECTION?: string
+
   // Terminal-specific
   KITTY_WINDOW_ID?: string
   SIXEL_SUPPORT?: string

cli/src/utils/clipboard.ts

@@ -83,22 +83,17 @@ export async function copyTextToClipboard(
   }
 
   try {
-    // Try OSC52 first (works over SSH/headless), then fallback to platform tools
-    if (!tryCopyViaOsc52(text)) {
-      const { execSync } = require('child_process') as typeof import('child_process')
-      const opts = { input: text, stdio: ['pipe', 'ignore', 'ignore'] as ('pipe' | 'ignore')[] }
-
-      if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
-        execSync('pbcopy', opts)
-      } else if (process.platform === 'linux') {
-        try {
-          execSync('xclip -selection clipboard', opts)
-        } catch {
-          execSync('xsel --clipboard --input', opts)
-        }
-      } else if (process.platform === 'win32') {
-        execSync('clip', opts)
-      }
+    let copied: boolean
+    if (isRemoteSession()) {
+      // Remote/SSH: prefer OSC 52 (copies to client terminal's clipboard)
+      copied = tryCopyViaOsc52(text) || tryCopyViaPlatformTool(text)
+    } else {
+      // Local: prefer platform tools (reliable with tmux), OSC 52 as fallback
+      copied = tryCopyViaPlatformTool(text) || tryCopyViaOsc52(text)
+    }
+
+    if (!copied) {
+      throw new Error('No clipboard method available')
     }
 
     if (!suppressGlobalMessage) {
@@ -137,6 +132,35 @@ export function clearClipboardMessage() {
 // because the client terminal handles clipboard. Format: ESC ] 52 ; c ; <base64> BEL
 // tmux/screen require passthrough wrapping to forward the sequence.
 
+function isRemoteSession(): boolean {
+  const env = getCliEnv()
+  return !!(env.SSH_CLIENT || env.SSH_TTY || env.SSH_CONNECTION)
+}
+
+function tryCopyViaPlatformTool(text: string): boolean {
+  const { execSync } = require('child_process') as typeof import('child_process')
+  const opts = { input: text, stdio: ['pipe', 'ignore', 'ignore'] as ('pipe' | 'ignore')[] }
+
+  try {
+    if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+      execSync('pbcopy', opts)
+    } else if (process.platform === 'linux') {
+      try {
+        execSync('xclip -selection clipboard', opts)
+      } catch {
+        execSync('xsel --clipboard --input', opts)
+      }
+    } else if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+      execSync('clip', opts)
+    } else {
+      return false
+    }
+    return true
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
 // 32KB is safe for all environments (tmux is the strictest)
 const OSC52_MAX_PAYLOAD = 32_000
 

cli/src/utils/env.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ export const getCliEnv = (): CliEnv => ({
   TMUX: process.env.TMUX,
   STY: process.env.STY,
 
+  // SSH/remote session detection
+  SSH_CLIENT: process.env.SSH_CLIENT,
+  SSH_TTY: process.env.SSH_TTY,
+  SSH_CONNECTION: process.env.SSH_CONNECTION,
+
   // Terminal detection
   KITTY_WINDOW_ID: process.env.KITTY_WINDOW_ID,
   SIXEL_SUPPORT: process.env.SIXEL_SUPPORT,