diff -aur vte-0.32.2-old/src/vteaccess.c vte-0.32.2/src/vteaccess.c
--- vte-0.32.2-old/src/vteaccess.c	2012-07-06 22:23:20.937715584 -0400
+++ vte-0.32.2/src/vteaccess.c	2012-07-06 22:23:26.521119667 -0400
@@ -1666,7 +1666,7 @@
 				 VTE_TERMINAL_ACCESSIBLE_PRIVATE_DATA);
 	xy_from_offset (priv, start_offset, &start_x, &start_y);
 	xy_from_offset (priv, end_offset, &end_x, &end_y);
-	_vte_terminal_select_text (terminal, start_x, start_y, end_x, end_y, start_offset, end_offset);
+	vte_terminal_select_text (terminal, start_x, start_y, end_x, end_y, start_offset, end_offset);
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
diff -aur vte-0.32.2-old/src/vte.c vte-0.32.2/src/vte.c
--- vte-0.32.2-old/src/vte.c	2012-07-06 22:23:20.934382208 -0400
+++ vte-0.32.2/src/vte.c	2012-07-06 22:31:02.140287012 -0400
@@ -14568,7 +14568,7 @@
 }
 
 void
-_vte_terminal_select_text(VteTerminal *terminal,
+vte_terminal_select_text(VteTerminal *terminal,
 			  long start_col, long start_row,
 			  long end_col, long end_row,
 			  int start_offset, int end_offset)
@@ -14593,6 +14593,16 @@
 
 }
 
+gboolean
+vte_terminal_get_selection_block_mode(VteTerminal *terminal) {
+	return terminal->pvt->selection_block_mode;
+}
+
+void
+vte_terminal_set_selection_block_mode(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean block_mode) {
+	return terminal->pvt->selection_block_mode = block_mode;
+}
+
 void
 _vte_terminal_remove_selection(VteTerminal *terminal)
 {
@@ -14603,7 +14613,7 @@
 _vte_terminal_select_empty_at(VteTerminal *terminal,
 			      long col, long row)
 {
-	_vte_terminal_select_text(terminal, col, row, col - 1, row, 0, 0);
+	vte_terminal_select_text(terminal, col, row, col - 1, row, 0, 0);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -15293,7 +15303,7 @@
 	g_free (row_text);
 	g_match_info_free (match_info);
 
-	_vte_terminal_select_text (terminal, start_col, start_row, end_col, end_row, 0, 0);
+	vte_terminal_select_text (terminal, start_col, start_row, end_col, end_row, 0, 0);
 	/* Quite possibly the math here should not access adjustment directly... */
 	value = gtk_adjustment_get_value(terminal->adjustment);
 	page_size = gtk_adjustment_get_page_size(terminal->adjustment);
Only in vte-0.32.2/src: vte.gresource.xml
diff -aur vte-0.32.2-old/src/vte.h vte-0.32.2/src/vte.h
--- vte-0.32.2-old/src/vte.h	2012-07-06 22:23:20.934382208 -0400
+++ vte-0.32.2/src/vte.h	2012-07-06 22:28:20.071533871 -0400
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@
 /* simple manipulation of selection */
 void vte_terminal_select_all(VteTerminal *terminal);
 void vte_terminal_select_none(VteTerminal *terminal);
+void vte_terminal_select_text(VteTerminal *terminal,
+                              long start_col, long start_row,
+                              long end_col, long end_row,
+                              int start_offset, int end_offset);
+gboolean vte_terminal_get_selection_block_mode(VteTerminal *terminal);
+void vte_terminal_set_selection_block_mode(VteTerminal *terminal, gboolean block_mode);
 
 /* Set the terminal's size. */
 void vte_terminal_set_size(VteTerminal *terminal,