How to copy minibuffer contents?

Question

To post this question and this question, I had to copy the contents of minibuffer.

I tried to copy from minibuffer but it didn't worked.

I came across this discussion and checked *Messages* buffer also. But minibuffer contents won't be there always.

Is it possible to copy mini buffer contents? How?

Update:

I am in a python process buffer and run kill-this-buffer, emacs will show this message in minibuffer

Buffer "Python" has a running process; kill it (y or n)?

I want to copy that text.

Update:

In above example that message will be available in *Messages* buffer, but if am creating a new branch using magit b c, it will prompt with message

Create branch starting at (default master):

which will NOT be available in *Messages*. I need to copy this text also.

Answer 1

You can select and copy the text of the prompt in the minibuffer (normally), if you move the point using any moving commands just one position after the prompt, and then C-b to move the point over the right boundary of the prompt. After you do it, you can use other navigation and selection commands on the prompt text. This can be achieved normally by using Fields BTW, it works the same way with the prompt of most shells run by Emacs.

You can also query for the contents of minibuffer programmatically (however it returns the entire history of the minibuffer, not just the visible text) by using minibuffer-contents-no-properties.

Answer 2

1. As others have indicated, and as was explained in the page you link to, output messages to the echo area are logged in buffer *Messages*. Clicking in the echo area brings up *Messages*, where you can copy text normally.

2. In the minibuffer, which is for input (as opposed to the echo area, which is in the same place, and which is for output), if you use normal, vanilla Emacs then you can just copy (and yank) there normally. IOW, you can edit text in the minibuffer.

3. #2 is not true, however, if you use something like Ido mode. That co-opts the normal editing behavior of the minibuffer for its own purposes. Keys that would normally edit text in the minibuffer do not, when you are in Ido mode.

   (FWIW, Icicles does not do this. It lets you edit minibuffer text normally, Even more so than vanilla Emacs, in fact, in that SPC, ?, and newline (C-j) characters self-insert normally. Of course, TAB and RET are not normal editing keys in the minibuffer.)

4. As @wvxwv mentioned in a comment to your question, the prompt area of the minibuffer is generally read-only text. But you can certainly copy it. Just back into it (e.g. using C-b or the left-arrow key) and copy text from the prompt normally (e.g., C-SPC move cursor with C-f, M-f, etc., followed by M-w).

   And then you can yank it anywhere, including in the minibuffer input area (after the prompt).

   (The prompt area is read-only, and some cursor movement keys will not move into it, simply for convenience. For example, C-a takes you to the beginning of your input area, not to the beginning of the line, which would be within the prompt area. This is the reason for mentioning C-b, as it is one way that you can move the cursor into the prompt area.)