Clipboard (computing)

The clipboard (English Clipboard ), or file folder is a temporary storage area that allows easy exchange of data (text, images and other objects ) between programs in a two step process.

It serves as a buffer for copy and paste or cut and paste: selected data is copied to the clipboard by the functions "Copy" or "Cut " (English Copy or Cut) from the origin. These are inserted by the function " Paste" ( engl. paste) from the clipboard into a document in another program.

The clipboard has been implemented system-wide for the first time in the operating system Mac OS. Prior to each application program had to realize such a function even if it was necessary. But this was only a few programs. Nowadays, the concept of a clipboard in almost all operating systems and is regarded as self-evident.

Technical Realization

Technically, the clipboard also be implemented instead of a memory region through inter-process communication.

There are also programs that extend the functionality of the clipboard by providing, for example, a history of the last content available or allow it to switch between multiple clipboards, so that the contents will not be overwritten each time. This function is, for example, in the Emacs text editor available.

Most modern object-oriented programming languages ​​or toolkits provide simple access to ready on the clipboard.

Under Microsoft Windows, the contents of the clipboard on the system service file folder with the% systemroot % \ system32 \ Clipbrd.exe program could be (only up to Windows XP) viewed and managed, where% systemroot % represents the Windows installation directory (usually C: \ WINDOWS or C: \ WINNT.) There are also enhancements to the clipboard.

In the Unix desktop KDE program Klipper is responsible for managing the clipboard. On the Linux console provides GPM (General Purpose Mouse Manager ) a similar function, but only for text. The insertion is done on the Linux console with the scroll button of the mouse or the middle mouse button.

Various data formats,

Data that was copied to the clipboard, there exist usually in several formats. A text may, for example, as a pure string ( plain text) and available in rich text format on the clipboard. The source application stores all known data formats in the clipboard.

When inserting mostly selects the target application from the data format that best suits the current context. Word processing programs offer the user but often a means of self- select the data format.

Not only strings, but also all the files can be placed into the clipboard to be inserted later or copied to another location.

Application

As mentioned, the clipboard can equally be used for copying and moving of material.

  • First, in the source document, the corresponding section is marked - in today's operating systems, for example by mouse.
  • Then it is copied to the clipboard ( " Copy"). The function can usually be selected from a menu; common are certain key combinations: In Windows systems, and the KDE desktop, Ctrl C on Mac OS Command C.
  • If you want to delete the selected section of the same from the original location, so do a cut ( " Cut" ), so Windows systems and KDE offer the key combination Ctrl X, Mac OS Command X; alternatively there are corresponding menu entries.
  • To insert ( " paste " ) sets the cursor to the desired location of the target document and selects either the menu item or by pressing Ctrl V on Windows, Mac OS Command V.
  • In all operating systems listed on the Clipboard then still the same material; so it can also be inserted multiple times at different locations. Only the next copy or cut operation, it overwrites.

Free clipboard extension software

  • User interface
  • Programming
  • Windows system service
Widget toolkit Utility software Cursor (computers) Android (operating system)
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