How do you know when to use SHIFT+INSERT vs CTRL-V vs right-click-paste to paste?

Solution 1:

There are two types of clipboards in Unix/Linux: PRIMARY (often used with Ctrl-X/C/V) and SELECTION (mouse selected text, inserted with Shift-Insert or clicking the mouse middle button).

See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/clipboard for more details.

Solution 2:

Here's what I used to do:

Ctrl+Insert : Copy to the clipboard

Shift+Insert : PASTE from the clipboard

Shift+Delete : Cut TO the clipboard

Now I have an Apple Keyboard, I do: (The apple keyboard does not have an insert key)

Ctrl+C to Copy to the clipboard

Ctrl+V to PASTE FROM the clipboard

Shift+Delete to cut TO THE clipboard.

In a terminal using Putty:

Select the text with the mouse copies directly to the clipboard

Right-Clicking anywhere in the terminal window does the paste

In a regular shell session:

I select with the mouse, and use Ctrl+Shift+C to COPY to clipboard

I use Ctrl+Shift+V to paste.