Trigger event when content on system clipbooard changes

Hi!

I would like to trigger an event and code when the content of the clipboard changes.

I am creating polygons in a GIS-software by using a built in function of that software which captures X and Y coordinates when clicking in a map and sends these coordinates in a standadized manner to the system clipboard. Currently I'm manually pasting these coordinates into an excel sheet column and then use a script to create a SQL-string which is re-imported into the GIS-software.

I would like to initiate a MATLAB listener which triggers when the content of the system cliipboard (i.e. the clipboartd('paste') ) changes so I can automate the whole process and create the SQL-string when e.g. pressing TAB three times in a row. That bit with the TAB I've got nailed down - but the part where an event triggers when the system cliupboard changes has got me stumped.

I believe that I have to create a custom class and create a observable property for the clipboard. I can then listen for changes on that property. But how would I make the property dynamically/automatically update when the system clipboard changes? Is there a way to do this?

I guess one way would be to create a timer and every say two seconds get the value of the clipboard and update the property - but I would very much prefer not to do it this way.

My difficulty may also in no small part be that I'm really a Naval Architect and in all honesty have very little experience in programming with classes. =)

Anyone got some ideas to do this? Or is it impossible and should I just go for the option with the timer instead?

Best regards

//Martin

Answer 1

[chrisw23]

asm = NET.addAssembly("System.Windows.Forms");

% Includes clipboard-class.

fCol = System.Collections.Specialized.StringCollection();

fInfo = System.IO.FileInfo("C:\Temp\dummy.txt");

fCol.Add(fInfo.FullName);

fClipboard = System.Windows.Forms.Clipboard;

fClipboard.SetFileDropList(fCol);

% Static methods:

%

% Clear ContainsFileDropList GetAudioStream GetFileDropList ReferenceEquals SetDataObject SetText

% ContainsAudio ContainsImage GetData GetImage SetAudio SetFileDropList

% ContainsData ContainsText GetDataObject GetText SetData SetImage

Here's an example how to access the clipboard class in Matlab. Unfortunately there's no event suited for your needs but a bunch of methods you could poll periodically. Check options by methodsview or details cmd.

[Martin]

Well - thank you. This will come in handy - but not for this need. All the "contains..." methods may well come to really good use. I can see a whole sleathe of great things to do with this actually.

I ended up with the "running a timer option" and triggering comparsion with the last unique captured data on the clipboard- That worked out great, and I could also have all the code that detects and validates the data I'm looking for on the clipboard using the same trigger function from the timer.

I could also make a small GUI to start and stiop the timer, and this could also be used for listening for key presses to end the capture of dat afrom the clipboard I wanted to.But I ended up using a button for this instead, since I anyhow had to make the GUI to allow for the key press listener.

It actually seems there is no way to make a listener for changes to the clipboard - at least I have not found a trace of a solution on how to do this.... Which is a shame since this would probably be less use of CPU and system resources. But I suppose you'll just get a Core i9 computer and more ram instead... ;)