From e03a937c71b9e415e1d74da85efbb6c5685d3c73 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: nicm <nicm>
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2026 16:10:25 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Add a quoted pane_start_command_list which does not lose
 argument information.

---
 format.c | 37 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 tmux.1   | 16 +++++++++++++---
 2 files changed, 49 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/format.c b/format.c
index 337fe18ec..e16a8e2c3 100644
--- a/format.c
+++ b/format.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 struct format_expand_state;
 
 static char	*format_job_get(struct format_expand_state *, const char *);
+static char	*format_quote_shell_single(const char *);
 static char	*format_expand1(struct format_expand_state *, const char *);
 static int	 format_replace(struct format_expand_state *, const char *,
 		     size_t, char **, size_t *, size_t *);
@@ -865,6 +866,37 @@ format_cb_start_command(struct format_tree *ft)
 	return (cmd_stringify_argv(wp->argc, wp->argv));
 }
 
+/* Callback for pane_start_command_list. */
+static void *
+format_cb_start_command_list(struct format_tree *ft)
+{
+	struct window_pane	*wp = ft->wp;
+	char			*buf = NULL, *s;
+	size_t			 len = 0;
+	int			 i;
+
+	if (wp == NULL)
+		return (NULL);
+	if (wp->argc == 0)
+		return (xstrdup(""));
+
+	for (i = 0; i < wp->argc; i++) {
+		s = format_quote_shell_single(wp->argv[i]);
+
+		len += strlen(s) + 1;
+		buf = xrealloc(buf, len);
+
+		if (i == 0)
+			*buf = '\0';
+		else
+			strlcat(buf, " ", len);
+		strlcat(buf, s, len);
+
+		free(s);
+	}
+	return (buf);
+}
+
 /* Callback for pane_start_path. */
 static void *
 format_cb_start_path(struct format_tree *ft)
@@ -2293,7 +2325,7 @@ format_cb_pane_path(struct format_tree *ft)
 static void *
 format_cb_pane_pid(struct format_tree *ft)
 {
-	if (ft->wp != NULL)
+	if (ft->wp != NULL && ft->wp->fd != -1)
 		return (format_printf("%ld", (long)ft->wp->pid));
 	return (NULL);
 }
@@ -3540,6 +3572,9 @@ static const struct format_table_entry format_table[] = {
 	{ "pane_start_command", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
 	  format_cb_start_command
 	},
+	{ "pane_start_command_list", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
+	  format_cb_start_command_list
+	},
 	{ "pane_start_path", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
 	  format_cb_start_path
 	},
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index def0780b8..f672c0202 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -3523,7 +3523,7 @@ the
 option.
 .Tg neww
 .It Xo Ic new\-window
-.Op Fl abdkPS
+.Op Fl abdEkPS
 .Op Fl c Ar start\-directory
 .Op Fl e Ar environment
 .Op Fl F Ar format
@@ -3547,6 +3547,9 @@ is the new window location.
 If
 .Fl d
 is given, the session does not make the new window the current window.
+If
+.Fl E
+is given, the initial pane is created without a running command.
 .Ar target\-window
 represents the window to be created; if the target already exists an error is
 shown, unless the
@@ -3846,7 +3849,7 @@ This command will automatically set
 to manual in the window options.
 .Tg respawnp
 .It Xo Ic respawn\-pane
-.Op Fl k
+.Op Fl Ek
 .Op Fl c Ar start\-directory
 .Op Fl e Ar environment
 .Op Fl t Ar target\-pane
@@ -3863,6 +3866,9 @@ executed.
 The pane must be already inactive, unless
 .Fl k
 is given, in which case any existing command is killed.
+If
+.Fl E
+is given, the pane is left without a running command.
 .Fl c
 specifies a new working directory for the pane.
 The
@@ -3872,7 +3878,7 @@ option has the same meaning as for the
 command.
 .Tg respawnw
 .It Xo Ic respawn\-window
-.Op Fl k
+.Op Fl Ek
 .Op Fl c Ar start\-directory
 .Op Fl e Ar environment
 .Op Fl t Ar target\-window
@@ -3889,6 +3895,9 @@ executed.
 The window must be already inactive, unless
 .Fl k
 is given, in which case any existing command is killed.
+If
+.Fl E
+is given, the window is left with one pane and without a running command.
 .Fl c
 specifies a new working directory for the window.
 The
@@ -7101,6 +7110,7 @@ The following variables are available, where appropriate:
 .It Li "pane_right" Ta "" Ta "Right of pane"
 .It Li "pane_search_string" Ta "" Ta "Last search string in copy mode"
 .It Li "pane_start_command" Ta "" Ta "Command pane started with"
+.It Li "pane_start_command_list" Ta "" Ta "Command pane started with, quoted"
 .It Li "pane_start_path" Ta "" Ta "Path pane started with"
 .It Li "pane_synchronized" Ta "" Ta "1 if pane is synchronized"
 .It Li "pane_tabs" Ta "" Ta "Pane tab positions"