fzf-tmux disables remain-on-exit for all other panes in window

[ss-raicangu]

• I have read through the manual page (man fzf)
  • I have read through the fzf-tmux script
• I have the latest version of fzf
• I have searched through the existing issues
  • Search: is:issue remain-on-exit

Info

• OS
  • Linux
  • Mac OS X Ventura 13.4.1
  • Windows
  • Etc.
• Shell
  • bash
  • zsh 5.9 (x86_64-apple-darwin22.0)
  • fish
• App
  • fzf-tmux (with fzf 0.42.0 (brew))
  • tmux 3.3a

Problem / Steps to reproduce

Using fzf-tmux overwrites remain-on-exit for all panes in a window, if it is only set globally or at a higher scope than window.

set-option -wg remain-on-exit on

set-option -s remain-on-exit on

This makes other panes in that window close immediately on exit after using fzf-tmux, even though I expect them to remain open.

Potential solution

Since TMux 3.0 [1][2], remain-on-exit and synchronize-panes are pane options that can be set via set-option -p. The following patch [3] solves this issue on my environment and could be an acceptable solution, depending on how backwards-compatible this script is meant to be.

diff --git a/bin/fzf-tmux b/bin/fzf-tmux
index e891b78..e86b44b 100755
--- a/bin/fzf-tmux
+++ b/bin/fzf-tmux
@@ -151,12 +151,15 @@ argsf="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-args-$id"
 fifo1="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo1-$id"
 fifo2="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo2-$id"
 fifo3="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo3-$id"
-tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+tmux_version=$(tmux -V | sed 's/[^0-9.]//g')
+if [[ "$tmux_version" != 3* ]]; then
+  tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+fi
 cleanup() {
   \rm -f $argsf $fifo1 $fifo2 $fifo3
 
-  # Restore tmux window options
-  if [[ "${#tmux_win_opts[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+  # Restore tmux window options, if set
+  if [[ "$tmux_version" != 3* && "${#tmux_win_opts[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
     eval "tmux ${tmux_win_opts[*]}"
   fi
 
@@ -179,7 +182,6 @@ trap 'cleanup' EXIT
 
 envs="export TERM=$TERM "
 if [[ "$opt" =~ "-E" ]]; then
-  tmux_version=$(tmux -V | sed 's/[^0-9.]//g')
   if [[ $(awk '{print ($1 > 3.2)}' <<< "$tmux_version" 2> /dev/null || bc -l <<< "$tmux_version > 3.2") = 1 ]]; then
     FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS="--border $FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS"
     opt="-B $opt"
@@ -226,9 +228,18 @@ else
   cat <<< "\"$fzf\" $opts < $fifo1 > $fifo2; echo \$? > $fifo3 $close" >> $argsf
   cat <&0 > $fifo1 &
 fi
-tmux set-window-option synchronize-panes off \;\
-  set-window-option remain-on-exit off \;\
-  split-window -c "$PWD" $opt "bash -c 'exec -a fzf bash $argsf'" $swap \
+
+tmux \
+  split-window -c "$PWD" $opt "bash -c 'exec -a fzf bash $argsf'" $swap \
   > /dev/null 2>&1 || { "$fzf" "${args[@]}"; exit $?; }
+# Pane options (`set-option -p`) were added in version 3
+# Link: https://github.com/tmux/tmux/blob/11e69f6025f5783fe17d43247de1c3f659a19b69/CHANGES#L753-L760
+if [[ "$tmux_version" != 3* ]]; then
+  tmux set-window-option synchronize-panes off \;\
+    set-window-option remain-on-exit off > /dev/null 2>&1
+else
+  tmux set-option -p synchronize-panes off \;\
+    set-option -p remain-on-exit off > /dev/null 2>&1
+fi
+
 cat $fifo2
 exit "$(cat $fifo3)"

[1]: TMux changelog detailing pane options being added in version 3.0.
[2]: TMux 3.0 was released on 2019-05-29.
[3]: Filepaths in the patch header were manually edited, since I tested these changes by copying the fzf-tmux script directly out of /usr/local/bin rather than cloning the junegunn/fzf repo.
Related: 2a2c0a0 ([fzf-tmux] Turn off remain-on-exit option, 2016-01-07)

[ss-raicangu]

Aware this is a niche issue, so thanks in advance for even considering it 🙂 .

[junegunn]

Can you test this patch? It will first try using the new method, but if it fails, it will try again using the old method.

diff --git a/bin/fzf-tmux b/bin/fzf-tmux
index ed255fc..ca8ae32 100755
--- a/bin/fzf-tmux
+++ b/bin/fzf-tmux
@@ -151,7 +151,13 @@ argsf="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-args-$id"
 fifo1="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo1-$id"
 fifo2="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo2-$id"
 fifo3="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo3-$id"
-tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+if tmux_win_opts=$(tmux show-options -p remain-on-exit \; show-options -w synchronize-panes 2> /dev/null); then
+  tmux_win_opts=( $(sed '/ off/d; s/synchronize-panes/set-option -w synchronize-panes/; s/remain-on-exit/set-option -p remain-on-exit/; s/$/ \\;/' <<< "$tmux_win_opts") )
+  tmux_off_opts='set-option -w synchronize-panes off ; set-option -p remain-on-exit off ;'
+else
+  tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+  tmux_off_opts='set-window-option synchronize-panes off ; set-window-option remain-on-exit off ;'
+fi
 cleanup() {
   \rm -f $argsf $fifo1 $fifo2 $fifo3
 
@@ -227,8 +233,7 @@ else
   cat <<< "\"$fzf\" $opts < $fifo1 > $fifo2; echo \$? > $fifo3 $close" >> $argsf
   cat <&0 > $fifo1 &
 fi
-tmux set-window-option synchronize-panes off \;\
-  set-window-option remain-on-exit off \;\
+tmux $tmux_off_opts \
   split-window -c "$PWD" $opt "bash -c 'exec -a fzf bash $argsf'" $swap \
   > /dev/null 2>&1 || { "$fzf" "${args[@]}"; exit $?; }
 cat $fifo2

[ss-raicangu]

@junegunn, this patch does the opposite of what is desired 😅 . Slightly tweaked patch suggested below.

Fig 1. Pane layouts above. Top is original, bottom is fzf-tmux.

Fig 2. show-options -p remain-on-exit shows it being off on original pane but does nothing for fzf-tmux pane.

diff --git a/bin/fzf-tmux b/bin/fzf-tmux
index e891b78..88ddf88 100755
--- a/bin/fzf-tmux
+++ b/bin/fzf-tmux
@@ -151,7 +151,15 @@ argsf="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-args-$id"
 fifo1="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo1-$id"
 fifo2="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo2-$id"
 fifo3="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/fzf-fifo3-$id"
-tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+if tmux_win_opts=$(tmux show-options -p remain-on-exit \; show-options -w synchronize-panes 2> /dev/null); then
+  tmux_win_opts=( $(sed '/ off/d; s/synchronize-panes/set-option -w synchronize-panes/; s/remain-on-exit/set-option -p remain-on-exit/; s/$/ \\;/' <<< "$tmux_win_opts") )
+  tmux_off_opts='; set-option -w synchronize-panes off ; set-option -p remain-on-exit off'
+else
+  tmux_win_opts=( $(tmux show-window-options remain-on-exit \; show-window-options synchronize-panes | sed '/ off/d; s/^/set-window-option /; s/$/ \\;/') )
+  tmux_off_opts='; set-window-option synchronize-panes off ; set-window-option remain-on-exit off'
+fi
 cleanup() {
   \rm -f $argsf $fifo1 $fifo2 $fifo3
 
@@ -226,9 +234,9 @@ else
   cat <<< "\"$fzf\" $opts < $fifo1 > $fifo2; echo \$? > $fifo3 $close" >> $argsf
   cat <&0 > $fifo1 &
 fi
-tmux set-window-option synchronize-panes off \;\
-  set-window-option remain-on-exit off \;\
+tmux \
   split-window -c "$PWD" $opt "bash -c 'exec -a fzf bash $argsf'" $swap \
+  $tmux_off_opts \
   > /dev/null 2>&1 || { "$fzf" "${args[@]}"; exit $?; }
 cat $fifo2
 exit "$(cat $fifo3)"

Ref 1. Original patch didn't work because TMux executed the $tmux_off_opts and split-window in the wrong order. This suggested patch flips the order they are executed. It also changes the trailing semi-colon to be a leading one in $tmux_off_opts.

[ss-raicangu]

Thanks for the quick fix, btw 🙂 .

[ss-raicangu]

Also, out of curiosity, why is synchronize-panes enabled or disabled at the window level?

I don't use it, so unsure of the edge-case this is preventing. Also means it doesn't affect me, so any answer appreciated but not required 🙂 🙏 .

synchronize-panes-not-syncing-when-off.mov

Fig 1. When I tried it out, it didn't seem to duplicate input from other synchronized panes in same window if I disabled it for a specific pane (set-option -p synchronize-panes off).

[junegunn]

why is synchronize-panes enabled or disabled at the window level?

If it works as expected with the pane-level option, there's no need to use the window-level option.

Slightly tweaked patch suggested below.

Thanks. Can you open a pull request with your patch?

[ss-raicangu]

Will do.

[ss-raicangu]

Nevermind 😅 . synchronize-panes does need to be disabled for full window, unless multiple panes are desired.

Edit: Note only, no action required 🙂 . Sorry, thought it was a reason but seems to happen with window-option disabled as well. Will investigate properly before commenting in pull request.

synchronize-panes-creating-multiple-fzf-panes.mov

Fig 2. fzf-tmux creates multiple panes if synchronize-panes is enabled for window and new pane is created afterwards.

Resolved: Not a bug. If panes are synchronized when starting fzf-tmux, then have to accept as desired behaviour to have multiple fzf-tmux panes. What we don't want instead is for input to fzf-tmux pane to be mirrored in original panes. That is why sychronize-panes is turned off.