The clipboard is a set of functions and messages that enable applications to transfer data. Because all applications have access to the clipboard, data can be easily transferred between applications or within an application.
This overview does not describe how to copy and paste linked or embedded objects. For information on these subjects, see the Component Object Model (COM) documentation.
Discusses the clipboard formats. A window can place more than one object on the clipboard, each representing the same information in a different clipboard format. Users need not be aware of the clipboard formats used for an object on the clipboard.
Discusses clipboard operations. A window should use the clipboard when cutting, copying, or pasting data. A window places data on the clipboard for cut and copy operations and retrieves data from the clipboard for paste operations.
Empties the clipboard and frees handles to data in the clipboard. The function then assigns ownership of the clipboard to the window that currently has the clipboard open.
Enumerates the data formats currently available on the clipboard. Clipboard data formats are stored in an ordered list. To perform an enumeration of clipboard data formats, you make a series of calls to the EnumClipboardFormats function. For each call, the format parameter specifies an available clipboard format, and the function returns the next available clipboard format.
Places data on the clipboard in a specified clipboard format. The window must be the current clipboard owner, and the application must have called the OpenClipboard function. (When responding to the WM_RENDERFORMAT message, the clipboard owner must not call OpenClipboard before calling SetClipboardData.)
Adds the specified window to the chain of clipboard viewers. Clipboard viewer windows receive a WM_DRAWCLIPBOARD message whenever the content of the clipboard changes.
Sent to an edit control or combo box to delete (cut) the current selection, if any, in the edit control and copy the deleted text to the clipboard in CF_TEXT format.
Sent to an edit control or combo box to copy the current content of the clipboard to the edit control at the current caret position. Data is inserted only if the clipboard contains data in CF_TEXT format.
Sent to the first window in the clipboard viewer chain when the content of the clipboard changes. This enables a clipboard viewer window to display the new content of the clipboard.
Sent to the clipboard owner by a clipboard viewer window. This occurs when the clipboard contains data in the CF_OWNERDISPLAY format and an event occurs in the clipboard viewer's horizontal scroll bar. The owner should scroll the clipboard image and update the scroll bar values.
Sent to the clipboard owner by a clipboard viewer window when the clipboard contains data in the CF_OWNERDISPLAY format and the clipboard viewer's client area needs repainting.
Sent to the clipboard owner before it is destroyed, if the clipboard owner has delayed rendering one or more clipboard formats. For the content of the clipboard to remain available to other applications, the clipboard owner must render data in all the formats it is capable of generating, and place the data on the clipboard by calling the SetClipboardData function.
Sent to the clipboard owner if it has delayed rendering a specific clipboard format and if an application has requested data in that format. The clipboard owner must render data in the specified format and place it on the clipboard by calling the SetClipboardData function.
Sent to the clipboard owner by a clipboard viewer window when the clipboard contains data in the CF_OWNERDISPLAY format and the clipboard viewer's client area has changed size.
Sent to the clipboard owner by a clipboard viewer window when the clipboard contains data in the CF_OWNERDISPLAY format and an event occurs in the clipboard viewer's vertical scroll bar. The owner should scroll the clipboard image and update the scroll bar values.