Copy/paste in guest console (no GUI)

[llamafilm]

I'm running CentOS without a GUI in a macOS host and I can't figure out how to copy/paste text. There is no mouse cursor in the guest, so I can't middle-click. I've tried Cmd-V and Cmd-Shift-V. I have enabled bidirection clipboard setting. I have not yet installed guest additions because I think that's only for a GUI system; is that wrong?

[mpack]

Copy/paste text is a clipboard function, and a clipboard is a feature of a GUI. If the guest has no GUI then there's no such function.

There is a clunky VirtualBox feature that allows you to inject keycodes (not text, obviously that makes no sense) into a VM, but that is used by scripts calling an API, it isn't typed.

[Martin]

A workaround could be to use a ssh terminal app to connect to your centos guest.
This app should allow you to cut&paste text.

[llamafilm]

Ok thanks for the confirmation. Yes ssh works.
Am I right in thinking there is no reason to install guest additions for a text-only OS?

[mpack]

Am I right in thinking there is no reason to install guest additions for a text-only OS?

No, that would not be correct. For example it ignores features such as shared folders. See Chapter 4 for further info.