xsel:tldr:9eff6

xsel: Use the contents of a file as input of the clipboard.

$ cat ${filename} | xsel -ib

try on your machine

This command involves the use of two separate commands, "cat" and "xsel", along with certain options and variables.

cat: "cat" is a command used to concatenate and display the contents of files. In this context, it is used to display the contents of a file specified by the variable "filename". The "${filename}" syntax is used to reference the value stored in the variable.
xsel: "xsel" is a command-line tool used to access the X clipboard, which is a temporary storage for data being copied or cut. It provides various options to manipulate the clipboard contents.
-ib option: The option "-ib" is used with the "xsel" command. It stands for "input to clipboard", indicating that the output from the previous command (cat) will be sent to the clipboard for further use.

Overall, the given command cat ${filename} | xsel -ib combines the output of the "cat" command (displaying the contents of the specified file) and pipes it to the "xsel" command to store it in the clipboard for further use.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.

back to the cat tool