Re: [tlug] Switch the VT?

["Fergal Daly" <fergal@example.com>]

On 21/12/06, Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen@example.com> wrote:
> Dave M G writes:
>
>  > What is the "VT", and how do I switch it?
>
> VT == virtual terminal.  On the Linux console, you can press (usually)
> Alt-F1 up to Alt-F6, and the screen will switch to a display for a new
> terminal.  Alt-F7 (usually) switches to the X11 display.  In X, you
> normally need to use both Alt and Ctrl to switch away from it, eg,
> Ctrl-Alt-F1 to switch to the first VT on console.

You can also use

chvt X

where X is a number to switch to that VT

and if you have permission,

openvt X bash

will start a bash shell on virtual terminal X. These can be handy if
your system has locked up but you have an ssh session or something.
Sometimes switching VT unlocks your system if X has gone a bit crazy,

F

> One way to think of it as seven windows, each of which always covers
> the whole display.  Pressing the VT switch keys puts a different one
> on top.  Obviously the keyboard has to get attached to that terminal
> only as well.
>
> Historically, sometimes if the mouse driver gets stuck, switching from
> X to a console VT and back will unfreeze the mouse.  Maybe this is a
> related effect.
>
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