Gtk# Clipboard Copy/Cut/Paste files

Question

How can I use Gtk# to copy, cut, and paste files to the clipboard. Every example I have seen only shows text being put into the clipboard. If anyone has an example I'd appreciate it.

serge_gubenko serge_gubenko · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-09T03:06:50

if your application is running on Gnome/Unity you can use "x-special/gnome-copied-files" target type to move/copy files over clipboard. Once file copied you should be able to paste it using file manager and vice versa. Below is an example of a window class which does this:

using System;
using System.IO;
using Gtk;

public partial class MainWindow : Gtk.Window
{
    private static Gdk.Atom _atom = Gdk.Atom.Intern("CLIPBOARD", false);
    private Gtk.Clipboard _clipBoard = Gtk.Clipboard.Get(_atom);
    private Gtk.FileChooserButton _fileCopy = null;
    private Gtk.FileChooserButton _folder = null;
    private Gtk.RadioButton _radioCopy = null;
    private Gtk.RadioButton _radioMove = null;
    private System.Text.ASCIIEncoding _encoding = new System.Text.ASCIIEncoding();
    private string _action = null;
    private string _source = null;
    private string _destination = null;

    public MainWindow () : base(Gtk.WindowType.Toplevel)
    {
        SetDefaultSize(200, -1);

        var table = new Gtk.Table(5, 5, true);
        var separator = new Gtk.HSeparator();

        var label0 = new Gtk.Label("Select file to copy/move");
        _fileCopy = new Gtk.FileChooserButton("Select A File", Gtk.FileChooserAction.Open);
        _radioCopy = new Gtk.RadioButton("Copy");
        _radioMove = new Gtk.RadioButton(_radioCopy, "Move");
        var copyButton = new Gtk.Button("Copy");

        Add(table);

        table.Attach(label0, 0, 4, 0, 1);
        table.Attach(_fileCopy, 0, 1, 1, 2);
        table.Attach(_radioCopy, 1, 2, 1, 2);
        table.Attach(_radioMove, 2, 3, 1, 2);
        table.Attach(copyButton, 3, 4, 1, 2);
        table.Attach(separator, 0, 4, 2, 3);

        var label1 = new Gtk.Label("Select destination for file(s)");
        _folder = new Gtk.FileChooserButton("Select A File", Gtk.FileChooserAction.SelectFolder);
        var pasteButton = new Gtk.Button("Paste");

        table.Attach(label1, 0, 4, 3, 4);
        table.Attach(_folder, 0, 1, 4, 5);
        table.Attach(pasteButton, 3, 4, 4, 5);

        DeleteEvent += OnDeleteEvent;
        copyButton.Clicked += OnCopyButtonClick; 
        pasteButton.Clicked += OnPasteButtonClick;

        ShowAll();
    }

    private void ClearGet(Gtk.Clipboard clipboard, Gtk.SelectionData selection, uint info)
    {
        var temp = _action + "\n" + _source;
        selection.Set(selection.Target, 8, _encoding.GetBytes(temp)); 
    }

    private void ClearFunc(Gtk.Clipboard clipboard)
    {
        //???
    }

    private void ReceivedFunc(Gtk.Clipboard clipboard, Gtk.SelectionData selection)
    {
        var temp = _encoding.GetString(selection.Data);
        if (temp==null) return;

        var items = temp.Split();
        for (int i=1; i<items.Length; i++)
        {
            var fileFrom = items[i].Substring("file://".Length);
            var fileTo = System.IO.Path.Combine(_destination, System.IO.Path.GetFileName(fileFrom));
            if (items[0]=="copy")
                File.Copy(fileFrom, fileTo);
            else if (items[1]=="cut")
                File.Move(fileFrom, fileTo);
        }
    }

    private void OnCopyButtonClick(object obj, EventArgs args)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(_fileCopy.Uri);

        _source = _fileCopy.Uri;
        _action = _radioMove.Active ? "cut" : "copy";

        var target0 = new TargetEntry("x-special/gnome-copied-files", 0, 0);
        var target1 = new TargetEntry("text/uri-list", 0, 0);

        _clipBoard.SetWithData(new TargetEntry[] {target0, target1}, ClearGet, ClearFunc);
    }

    private void OnPasteButtonClick(object obj, EventArgs args)
    {
        _destination = _folder.Filename;
        _clipBoard.RequestContents(Gdk.Atom.Intern("x-special/gnome-copied-files", false), ReceivedFunc);
    }

    protected void OnDeleteEvent (object sender, DeleteEventArgs a)
    {
        Application.Quit ();
        a.RetVal = true;
    }
}

hope this helps, regards

Gtk# Clipboard Copy/Cut/Paste files

1 Answers