\[
\newcommand{\figleft}{{\em (Left)}}
\newcommand{\figcenter}{{\em (Center)}}
\newcommand{\figright}{{\em (Right)}}
\newcommand{\figtop}{{\em (Top)}}
\newcommand{\figbottom}{{\em (Bottom)}}
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\def\quadfigref#1#2#3#4{figures \ref{#1}, \ref{#2}, \ref{#3} and \ref{#4}}
\def\secref#1{section~\ref{#1}}
\def\Secref#1{Section~\ref{#1}}
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\def\secrefs#1#2#3{sections \ref{#1}, \ref{#2} and \ref{#3}}
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\def\Eqref#1{Equation~\ref{#1}}
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\def\rangechapref#1#2{chapters\ref{#1}--\ref{#2}}
\def\algref#1{algorithm~\ref{#1}}
\def\Algref#1{Algorithm~\ref{#1}}
\def\twoalgref#1#2{algorithms \ref{#1} and \ref{#2}}
\def\Twoalgref#1#2{Algorithms \ref{#1} and \ref{#2}}
\def\partref#1{part~\ref{#1}}
\def\Partref#1{Part~\ref{#1}}
\def\twopartref#1#2{parts \ref{#1} and \ref{#2}}
\def\ceil#1{\lceil #1 \rceil}
\def\floor#1{\lfloor #1 \rfloor}
\def\1{\bm{1}}
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\newcommand{\valid}{\mathcal{D_{\mathrm{valid}}}}
\newcommand{\test}{\mathcal{D_{\mathrm{test}}}}
\def\eps{{\epsilon}}
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\def\rb{{\textnormal{b}}}
\def\rc{{\textnormal{c}}}
\def\rd{{\textnormal{d}}}
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\def\rw{{\textnormal{w}}}
\def\rx{{\textnormal{x}}}
\def\ry{{\textnormal{y}}}
\def\rz{{\textnormal{z}}}
\def\rvepsilon{{\mathbf{\epsilon}}}
\def\rvtheta{{\mathbf{\theta}}}
\def\rva{{\mathbf{a}}}
\def\rvb{{\mathbf{b}}}
\def\rvc{{\mathbf{c}}}
\def\rvd{{\mathbf{d}}}
\def\rve{{\mathbf{e}}}
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\def\rvl{{\mathbf{l}}}
\def\rvm{{\mathbf{m}}}
\def\rvn{{\mathbf{n}}}
\def\rvo{{\mathbf{o}}}
\def\rvp{{\mathbf{p}}}
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\def\rvt{{\mathbf{t}}}
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\def\ervv{{\textnormal{v}}}
\def\ervw{{\textnormal{w}}}
\def\ervx{{\textnormal{x}}}
\def\ervy{{\textnormal{y}}}
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\def\rmA{{\mathbf{A}}}
\def\rmB{{\mathbf{B}}}
\def\rmC{{\mathbf{C}}}
\def\rmD{{\mathbf{D}}}
\def\rmE{{\mathbf{E}}}
\def\rmF{{\mathbf{F}}}
\def\rmG{{\mathbf{G}}}
\def\rmH{{\mathbf{H}}}
\def\rmI{{\mathbf{I}}}
\def\rmJ{{\mathbf{J}}}
\def\rmK{{\mathbf{K}}}
\def\rmL{{\mathbf{L}}}
\def\rmM{{\mathbf{M}}}
\def\rmN{{\mathbf{N}}}
\def\rmO{{\mathbf{O}}}
\def\rmP{{\mathbf{P}}}
\def\rmQ{{\mathbf{Q}}}
\def\rmR{{\mathbf{R}}}
\def\rmS{{\mathbf{S}}}
\def\rmT{{\mathbf{T}}}
\def\rmU{{\mathbf{U}}}
\def\rmV{{\mathbf{V}}}
\def\rmW{{\mathbf{W}}}
\def\rmX{{\mathbf{X}}}
\def\rmY{{\mathbf{Y}}}
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\def\ermV{{\textnormal{V}}}
\def\ermW{{\textnormal{W}}}
\def\ermX{{\textnormal{X}}}
\def\ermY{{\textnormal{Y}}}
\def\ermZ{{\textnormal{Z}}}
\def\vzero{{\bm{0}}}
\def\vone{{\bm{1}}}
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\def\vtheta{{\bm{\theta}}}
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\def\vb{{\bm{b}}}
\def\vc{{\bm{c}}}
\def\vd{{\bm{d}}}
\def\ve{{\bm{e}}}
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\def\vg{{\bm{g}}}
\def\vh{{\bm{h}}}
\def\vi{{\bm{i}}}
\def\vj{{\bm{j}}}
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\def\vl{{\bm{l}}}
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\def\vn{{\bm{n}}}
\def\vo{{\bm{o}}}
\def\vp{{\bm{p}}}
\def\vq{{\bm{q}}}
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\def\vv{{\bm{v}}}
\def\vw{{\bm{w}}}
\def\vx{{\bm{x}}}
\def\vy{{\bm{y}}}
\def\vz{{\bm{z}}}
\def\evalpha{{\alpha}}
\def\evbeta{{\beta}}
\def\evepsilon{{\epsilon}}
\def\evlambda{{\lambda}}
\def\evomega{{\omega}}
\def\evmu{{\mu}}
\def\evpsi{{\psi}}
\def\evsigma{{\sigma}}
\def\evtheta{{\theta}}
\def\eva{{a}}
\def\evb{{b}}
\def\evc{{c}}
\def\evd{{d}}
\def\eve{{e}}
\def\evf{{f}}
\def\evg{{g}}
\def\evh{{h}}
\def\evi{{i}}
\def\evj{{j}}
\def\evk{{k}}
\def\evl{{l}}
\def\evm{{m}}
\def\evn{{n}}
\def\evo{{o}}
\def\evp{{p}}
\def\evq{{q}}
\def\evr{{r}}
\def\evs{{s}}
\def\evt{{t}}
\def\evu{{u}}
\def\evv{{v}}
\def\evw{{w}}
\def\evx{{x}}
\def\evy{{y}}
\def\evz{{z}}
\def\mA{{\bm{A}}}
\def\mB{{\bm{B}}}
\def\mC{{\bm{C}}}
\def\mD{{\bm{D}}}
\def\mE{{\bm{E}}}
\def\mF{{\bm{F}}}
\def\mG{{\bm{G}}}
\def\mH{{\bm{H}}}
\def\mI{{\bm{I}}}
\def\mJ{{\bm{J}}}
\def\mK{{\bm{K}}}
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\def\mM{{\bm{M}}}
\def\mN{{\bm{N}}}
\def\mO{{\bm{O}}}
\def\mP{{\bm{P}}}
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\def\mZ{{\bm{Z}}}
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\def\mLambda{{\bm{\Lambda}}}
\def\mSigma{{\bm{\Sigma}}}
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\def\tC{{\tens{C}}}
\def\tD{{\tens{D}}}
\def\tE{{\tens{E}}}
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\def\tG{{\tens{G}}}
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\def\tK{{\tens{K}}}
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\def\tM{{\tens{M}}}
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\def\tZ{{\tens{Z}}}
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\def\gG{{\mathcal{G}}}
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\def\gL{{\mathcal{L}}}
\def\gM{{\mathcal{M}}}
\def\gN{{\mathcal{N}}}
\def\gO{{\mathcal{O}}}
\def\gP{{\mathcal{P}}}
\def\gQ{{\mathcal{Q}}}
\def\gR{{\mathcal{R}}}
\def\gS{{\mathcal{S}}}
\def\gT{{\mathcal{T}}}
\def\gU{{\mathcal{U}}}
\def\gV{{\mathcal{V}}}
\def\gW{{\mathcal{W}}}
\def\gX{{\mathcal{X}}}
\def\gY{{\mathcal{Y}}}
\def\gZ{{\mathcal{Z}}}
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\def\sB{{\mathbb{B}}}
\def\sC{{\mathbb{C}}}
\def\sD{{\mathbb{D}}}
\def\sF{{\mathbb{F}}}
\def\sG{{\mathbb{G}}}
\def\sH{{\mathbb{H}}}
\def\sI{{\mathbb{I}}}
\def\sJ{{\mathbb{J}}}
\def\sK{{\mathbb{K}}}
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\def\sM{{\mathbb{M}}}
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\def\sP{{\mathbb{P}}}
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\def\sT{{\mathbb{T}}}
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\def\sW{{\mathbb{W}}}
\def\sX{{\mathbb{X}}}
\def\sY{{\mathbb{Y}}}
\def\sZ{{\mathbb{Z}}}
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\def\emC{{C}}
\def\emD{{D}}
\def\emE{{E}}
\def\emF{{F}}
\def\emG{{G}}
\def\emH{{H}}
\def\emI{{I}}
\def\emJ{{J}}
\def\emK{{K}}
\def\emL{{L}}
\def\emM{{M}}
\def\emN{{N}}
\def\emO{{O}}
\def\emP{{P}}
\def\emQ{{Q}}
\def\emR{{R}}
\def\emS{{S}}
\def\emT{{T}}
\def\emU{{U}}
\def\emV{{V}}
\def\emW{{W}}
\def\emX{{X}}
\def\emY{{Y}}
\def\emZ{{Z}}
\def\emSigma{{\Sigma}}
\newcommand{\etens}[1]{\mathsfit{#1}}
\def\etLambda{{\etens{\Lambda}}}
\def\etA{{\etens{A}}}
\def\etB{{\etens{B}}}
\def\etC{{\etens{C}}}
\def\etD{{\etens{D}}}
\def\etE{{\etens{E}}}
\def\etF{{\etens{F}}}
\def\etG{{\etens{G}}}
\def\etH{{\etens{H}}}
\def\etI{{\etens{I}}}
\def\etJ{{\etens{J}}}
\def\etK{{\etens{K}}}
\def\etL{{\etens{L}}}
\def\etM{{\etens{M}}}
\def\etN{{\etens{N}}}
\def\etO{{\etens{O}}}
\def\etP{{\etens{P}}}
\def\etQ{{\etens{Q}}}
\def\etR{{\etens{R}}}
\def\etS{{\etens{S}}}
\def\etT{{\etens{T}}}
\def\etU{{\etens{U}}}
\def\etV{{\etens{V}}}
\def\etW{{\etens{W}}}
\def\etX{{\etens{X}}}
\def\etY{{\etens{Y}}}
\def\etZ{{\etens{Z}}}
\newcommand{\pdata}{p_{\rm{data}}}
\newcommand{\ptrain}{\hat{p}_{\rm{data}}}
\newcommand{\Ptrain}{\hat{P}_{\rm{data}}}
\newcommand{\pmodel}{p_{\rm{model}}}
\newcommand{\Pmodel}{P_{\rm{model}}}
\newcommand{\ptildemodel}{\tilde{p}_{\rm{model}}}
\newcommand{\pencode}{p_{\rm{encoder}}}
\newcommand{\pdecode}{p_{\rm{decoder}}}
\newcommand{\precons}{p_{\rm{reconstruct}}}
\newcommand{\E}{\mathbb{E}}
\newcommand{\Ls}{\mathcal{L}}
\newcommand{\R}{\mathbb{R}}
\newcommand{\emp}{\tilde{p}}
\newcommand{\lr}{\alpha}
\newcommand{\reg}{\lambda}
\newcommand{\rect}{\mathrm{rectifier}}
\newcommand{\softmax}{\mathrm{softmax}}
\newcommand{\sigmoid}{\sigma}
\newcommand{\softplus}{\zeta}
\newcommand{\KL}{D_{\mathrm{KL}}}
\newcommand{\Var}{\mathrm{Var}}
\newcommand{\standarderror}{\mathrm{SE}}
\newcommand{\Cov}{\mathrm{Cov}}
\newcommand{\normlzero}{L^0}
\newcommand{\normlone}{L^1}
\newcommand{\normltwo}{L^2}
\newcommand{\normlp}{L^p}
\newcommand{\normmax}{L^\infty}
\newcommand{\parents}{Pa} % See usage in notation.tex. Chosen to match Daphne's book.
\DeclareMathOperator*{\argmax}{arg\,max}
\DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{arg\,min}
\DeclareMathOperator{\sign}{sign}
\DeclareMathOperator{\Tr}{Tr}
\let\ab\allowbreak
\]
Midnight Commander -- Transferring Files via (S)FTP and proxies
2025-12-08
What is Midnight Commander?
Midnight Commander (mc) is a terminal based file manager with a two-panel interface. It has support for various protocols including FTP, SFTP, SMB, and more. It also has a built-in text editor and viewer, making it a versatile tool for managing files on both local and remote systems.

Configuration
Running mc --datadir should show you were the built-in configurations files are stored. And running mc --datadir-info should give you additional information.
Theming
I'm just using catppuccin (the default theme uses unreadable highlight colors for me) theme available here.
Useful tips
Here I'm documenting some stuff that was useful for me. There are also many great resources online, for example this blog post has a great list of keys you can use. You can also use ESC or ctrl-[ as prefix keys instead of the F-keys and alt keys.
SFTP with proxies
Instead of using the built-in SFTP support, use cd sh://{SSH_TARGET}/~/ where SSH_TARGET is the host defined in your ~/.ssh/config.
Navigate using arrows
Set navigate_with_arrows=true in your ~/.config/mc/ini file.
(Mac only) Register HEIC as image file
# ~/.config/mc/mc.ext, OR you can open this by running `ESC 9 c e` (edit file extension config)
# HEIC/HEIF images: Use Shell match by extension since file(1) returns
# "ISO Media, HEIF Image..." instead of starting with "HEIC"
# Also keep Type match as fallback for files without .heic extension
[heic-by-shell]
Shell=.heic
ShellIgnoreCase=true
Include=image
[heic-by-type]
Type=^ISO Media.*HEIF
Include=image
My keymaps
[filemanager]
ChangePanel = alt-tab
SplitVertHoriz = alt-l
[help]
Complete = tab
[editor]
Complete = tab
[panel]
PageUp = ctrl-b
PageDown = ctrl-f
Top = alt-g
Bottom = alt-shift-g
TopOnScreen = ctrl-g
CdParentSmart = ctrl-k
Sort = alt-o
SortReverse = alt-shift-r
PanelOtherCd = alt-shift-o
[input]
Clear = ctrl-c
Complete = tab
[listbox]
PageUp = ctrl-b
PageDown = ctrl-f
This config just introduces some more vim-like keybindings (ctrl-b/f for page up/down, ctrl-g to go to top/bottom of panel etc). And it restores the default tab completion in help and editor screens (which I use a lot). I use ctrl-p/n for moving up/down and this is also supported by default.
Custom actions with shell scripts
You can also add your custom menu to add actions like copying current path or opening current directory in OS native explorer. My example:
shell_patterns=0
= f *.
o Open/Reveal in Finder
if [ -f "%f" ]; then open -R "%d/%f"; else open .; fi
= f *.
c Copy current directory path to clipboard
pwd | pbcopy && echo "Copied to clipboard: $(pwd)"
= f *.
C Copy current file path to clipboard
echo "%d/%f" | pbcopy && echo "Copied to clipboard: %d/%f"
= f *.
f Copy current filename to clipboard
echo "%f" | pbcopy && echo "Copied to clipboard: %f"
Adding mc to tmux
Since version 3.2, tmux has introduced "popup windows", which can overlay a floating pane on top of your existing pane. You can also use this feature to create your own togglable mc instance
#!/bin/bash
current_session=$(tmux display-message -p '#S')
if [ "$current_session" = "mc" ]; then
tmux detach-client
else
tmux display-popup -w 80% -h 85% -E "tmux new-session -A -s mc mc"
fi
And just add this to your tmux keybindings:
# this binds prefix-m to toggle mc in a popup
bind-key m run-shell "~/.tmux/scripts/toggle-mc.sh"
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