Retrieve text from clipboard

Question

Hello,
I'm writing macro for the Visual Studio 2005 and I need to retrieve text from the clipboard.
How can I do this?
Thanks

Answer 1

Hi Jan,

you could use the System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard Class like:

Dim TheClipBoard as New System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard
Dim ClipBoardText as String
If TheClipBoard.ContainsText Then
    ClipBoardText = TheClipBoard.GetText()
End If

---

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Mark the thread as answered if the answer helps you. This helps others who have the same problem !
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Answer 2

Sorry, but this doesn't work. I've tried this code already, but without success.
The ContainsText property is allways set to false and calling GetText() method returns empty string.

Answer 3

Hi again,

sorry i have made an mistake (the methods are shared ). Use this code ( i have tested it it works).

        Dim ClipBoardText As String
        If System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard.ContainsText Then
            ClipBoardText = System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard.GetText()
        End If

Edit: That works for Text/Unicode. If you need RTF/HTml you need to call the overloaded methods.

---

If you have got questions about this, just ask.
Mark the thread as answered if the answer helps you. This helps others who have the same problem !
C# to VB.NET: http://www.developerfusion.com/tools/convert/csharp-to-vb/

Answer 4

Sorry, but still nohting.
I've copied text from - let's say notepad. Now I launch an macro in the VS2005 and try to get the text, but still the ContainsText property is false. Seems, that the Clipboard is empty. But why?

Answer 5

What are you doing different from this:

    Clipboard.SetText("This is some text")
    Dim S As String = Clipboard.GetText

And make a few more duplicate posts:  Get data from Clipboard in macro

Answer 6

Hi again,

i have tested it once again. I also used notepad and copied the text inside and the run my testapplication. It just worked fine. Btw i am also using VS2005.

Try the following: Create a new Windows Forms Project, place a button on the form and paste the code inside and run the application.

Edit: Btw, did you maybe call the Clear() method somewhere ?

---

If you have got questions about this, just ask.
Mark the thread as answered if the answer helps you. This helps others who have the same problem !
C# to VB.NET: http://www.developerfusion.com/tools/convert/csharp-to-vb/

Answer 7

I'm writing macro for the VS2005 -> try Alt+F11 ... that's the difference. I'm not writing windows form application

Answer 8

You record the macro and it works, but when you play it back it doesn't.  Is that the problem?

Answer 9

I write it by myself. Launch VS, Alt+F11, add code, Tools>Options>Keyboard -> find the macro (Macros.MyMacros.Module1.ConvertMethod) and add shortcut...

    Sub ConvertMethod()
        Dim str As String

        ' str = Clipboard <<<- this is what i need
        ' process str

        DTE.ActiveDocument.Selection.Text = str
    End Sub

 

Answer 10

This should paste the text on the clipboard:

DTE.ActiveDocument.Selection.Paste

as that is the code that the designer writes when recording a macro.

Normally a macro is recorded and then modified.

Answer 11

http://www.knowdotnet.com/articles/clipboardinmacro.html