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After upgrading to Ubuntu 17.10 (and switching to the vanilla GNOME desktop, but I'm not sure if that's relevant), left-click select-to-copy and middle-click-to-paste no longer works.

I found this documentation page which suggests the change is deliberate, but can't see instructions anywhere on how to change it back.

Is it possible to get it back?

pomsky
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Tom
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  • On default Ubuntu 17.10 desktop (so, no vanilla Gnome), middle click paste works as usual. Maybe it's a change in Gnome. – gerlos Nov 08 '17 at 17:30
  • For anyone who comes along with the same problem: Rebooting fixed this for me. It seems to happen every so often (but is fixed in 18.04). – Tom Feb 20 '19 at 10:37

3 Answers3

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You may use the indispensable (GNOME) Tweaks to achieve your goal.

First install it (if not installed already) by running

sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool

Then launch Tweaks and go to Keyboard & Mouse section and toggle on the "Middle Click Paste" option.

enter image description here

pomsky
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  • On plain Ubuntu 17.10 gnome-tweak-tool is preinstalled, since it's included in the ubuntu-gnome-desktop package. – gerlos Nov 08 '17 at 17:31
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    Hmmm, it doesn't work. I have "Middle click paste" switch to on, and I've tried enabling it and disabling it, but it still doesn't work (I'm trying to copy & paste from one terminal to another). – Tom Nov 08 '17 at 17:37
  • @gerlos I don't have a fresh installation, but I tried a live USB session. Tweaks was not there, nor dconf-editor. – pomsky Nov 08 '17 at 17:39
  • @Tom Not sure if it's yet-another-thing-not-working-in-Wayland issue. Try to switch to an Xorg session and see if it works there. – pomsky Nov 08 '17 at 17:43
  • @pomsky not sure where the problem may be. I just downloaded Ubuntu 17.10 ISO and tried to install it on a VM, and after first boot both middle click paste is working and gnome-tweak-tool is installed. – gerlos Nov 08 '17 at 18:20
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    On my system (upgraded from a previous Ubuntu version), turning Middle Click Paste does not disable middle-click pasting. That’s very odd. – kleinfreund Dec 30 '17 at 17:19
  • On 20.04, I tried to do this to disable the behavior, but Middle Click Paste is already switched off. – Jack M Aug 27 '22 at 14:53
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When I listen gnome-tweaks with dconf watch /, /org/gnome/desktop/interface/gtk-enable-primary-paste parameter is setting value but not working, I think gnome not listening for this value change.

So use this, it is working:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-enable-primary-paste true
Lorenz Keel
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utrucceh
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0

This particular problem

In Ubuntu 17.10 running Wayland as well as Xorg, left-click select-to-copy and middle-click-to-paste both work for me (like in previous versions). I have a fresh installation.

I would guess that some setting from the previous version is causing your problem. Many fundamental things have changed in 17.10, so I think it is better to make a fresh installation.

Fresh installation often easiest and fastest

It is often easiest and fastest to make a fresh installation instead of upgrading from a previous version.

  • Backup your personal files.

  • Install a fresh system.

  • Install the additional program packages that you remember (that you need).

  • Copy back your personal files from the backup. It helps if you use a separate data partition for your personal data.

  • Later on, when you need another program package, install it. This way you will get rid of old program packages, that you will not use.

sudodus
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