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# Clipboard

`Gdk.Clipboard` provides a storage area for a variety of data, including text and images. Using a clipboard allows this data to be shared between applications through actions such as copying, cutting, and pasting.

There are multiple clipboard selections for different purposes. In most circumstances, the selection named `CLIPBOARD` is used for everyday copying and pasting. `PRIMARY` is another common selection which stores text selected by the user with the cursor.

`Gdk.Display` will allow us to access these different clipboards. You can get the default display with `Gdk.Display.get_default()`, then get the clipboard that you want; `Gdk.Display.get_clipboard()` for `CLIPBOARD` and `Gdk.Display.get_primary_clipboard()` for `PRIMARY`.

You can set any simple value like text with `Gdk.Clipboard.set()`. For more complex data you must use the `Gdk.Clipboard.set_content()` method were you have to pass a `Gdk.ContentProvider`. A content provider is usually created using `Gdk.ContentProvider.new_for_value()` where you only pass the value.

To read the clipboard values `Gdk.Clipboard` provides three async methods. For textual or image data use `Gdk.Clipboard.read_text_async()` or `Gdk.Clipboard.read_texture_async()`. For other data use `Gdk.Clipboard.read_value_async()`.

## Example

     1import gi
     2
     3gi.require_version("Gdk", "4.0")
     4gi.require_version("Gtk", "4.0")
     5from gi.repository import Gdk, Gtk
     6
     7
     8class ClipboardWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
     9    def __init__(self, *args, **kargs):
    10        super().__init__(*args, **kargs, title="Clipboard Example")
    11
    12        box = Gtk.Box(spacing=12, orientation=Gtk.Orientation.VERTICAL)
    13        self.set_child(box)
    14
    15        self.clipboard = Gdk.Display.get_default().get_clipboard()
    16
    17        text_box = Gtk.Box(spacing=6, homogeneous=True)
    18        box.append(text_box)
    19
    20        self.entry = Gtk.Entry(text="Some text you can copy")
    21        button_copy_text = Gtk.Button(label="Copy Text")
    22        button_copy_text.connect("clicked", self.copy_text)
    23        button_paste_text = Gtk.Button(label="Paste Text")
    24        button_paste_text.connect("clicked", self.paste_text)
    25
    26        text_box.append(self.entry)
    27        text_box.append(button_copy_text)
    28        text_box.append(button_paste_text)
    29
    30        image_box = Gtk.Box(spacing=6)
    31        box.append(image_box)
    32
    33        self.picture = Gtk.Picture.new_for_filename("../images/application.png")
    34        self.picture.props.hexpand = True
    35        button_copy_image = Gtk.Button(label="Copy Image", valign=Gtk.Align.CENTER)
    36        button_copy_image.connect("clicked", self.copy_image)
    37        button_paste_image = Gtk.Button(label="Paste Image", valign=Gtk.Align.CENTER)
    38        button_paste_image.connect("clicked", self.paste_image)
    39
    40        image_box.append(self.picture)
    41        image_box.append(button_copy_image)
    42        image_box.append(button_paste_image)
    43
    44    def copy_text(self, _button):
    45        self.clipboard.set(self.entry.get_text())
    46
    47    def paste_text(self, _button):
    48        self.clipboard.read_text_async(None, self.on_paste_text)
    49
    50    def on_paste_text(self, _clipboard, result):
    51        text = self.clipboard.read_text_finish(result)
    52        if text is not None:
    53            self.entry.set_text(text)
    54
    55    def copy_image(self, _button):
    56        texture = self.picture.get_paintable()
    57        gbytes = texture.save_to_png_bytes()
    58        content = Gdk.ContentProvider.new_for_bytes("image/png", gbytes)
    59        self.clipboard.set_content(content)
    60
    61    def paste_image(self, _button):
    62        self.clipboard.read_texture_async(None, self.on_paste_image)
    63
    64    def on_paste_image(self, _clipboard, result):
    65        texture = self.clipboard.read_texture_finish(result)
    66        if texture is not None:
    67            self.picture.set_paintable(texture)
    68
    69
    70def on_activate(app):
    71    win = ClipboardWindow(application=app)
    72    win.present()
    73
    74
    75app = Gtk.Application(application_id="com.example.App")
    76app.connect("activate", on_activate)
    77
    78app.run(None)