DOCUMENT:Q67675 06-NOV-1999 [win16sdk] TITLE :Access to the Windows Clipboard by MS-DOS-Based App PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit PROD/VER:WINDOWS:3.0,3.1 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kb16bitonly ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) versions 3.0, 3.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= Windows real and standard modes do not provide an interface for standard MS-DOS (non-Windows) applications to access the Windows clipboard. However, in Windows enhanced mode, access is provided through the INT 2fh interface. This article discusses various methods that may be used to simulate clipboard access in real and standard modes and documents the INT 2fh interface for enhanced mode. MORE INFORMATION ================ Under Windows real and standard modes, it is possible to simulate programmatic access to the contents of the clipboard by a standard MS-DOS-based application. One possible method is to create a Windows-based application that places the contents of the Windows clipboard into a file. The MS-DOS-based application would check for the existence of the file saved from the Windows-based application. When the file exists, the MS- DOS-based application can read the contents, eliminating the necessity for direct user intervention on behalf of the MS-DOS-based application. Only textual information can be retrieved from the clipboard by a standard MS-DOS-based application. This is done using the Edit Paste hierarchical system menu combination in Windows enhanced mode that is available when the MS-DOS-based application is windowed. In Windows real or standard modes, a Paste option can be selected directly from the system menu only when the MS-DOS-based application is represented by an icon ("iconic"), giving the user access to its system menu. When Paste is selected, Windows will restore the MS-DOS-based application to full screen and paste the contents of the clipboard where the cursor is located in the MS-DOS-based application. MS-DOS-based applications can be made iconic in real and standard modes through an ALT+TAB keystroke. Placing information into the clipboard can be done though the use of the PRINT SCREEN or ALT+PRINT SCREEN keystrokes, each of which copies a full screen into the clipboard. Copying information to the Windows clipboard can be done in Windows enhanced mode using the Edit Mark and Edit Copy system menu commands. More information on user control of the Windows Clipboard can be found on pages 440-490 in the "Microsoft Windows User's Guide," Chapter 12. The remainder of this article documents the INT 2fh interface to the clipboard, available in Windows enhanced mode. NOTE: The Windows functions RegisterClipboardFormat() and EnumClipboardFormats() are not supported. Function Call Definitions ------------------------- Name IdentifyWinOldApVersion() Parameters AX = 1700H Return Values AX == 1700H: Clipboard functions not available <> 1700H: AL = Major version number AH = Minor version number Name OpenClipboard() Parameters AX = 1701H Return Values AX == 0: Clipboard already open <> 0: Clipboard opened Name EmptyClipboard() Parameters AX = 1702H Return Values AX == 0: Error occurred <> 0: OK, Clipboard emptied Name SetClipboardData() Parameters AX = 1703H DX = WinOldAp-Supported Clipboard format ES:BX = Pointer to data SI:CX = Size of data in bytes Return Values AX == 0: Error occurred <> 0: OK. Data copied into allocated memory. Note The MS-DOS-based application should call the ClipboardCompact() function prior to this to determine if the data can be accommodated in memory. Name GetClipboardDataSize() Parameters AX = 1704H DX = WinOldAp-Supported Clipboard format Return Values DX:AX == Size of the data in bytes, including any headers. == 0 If data in this format is not in the clipboard. Name GetClipboardData() Parameters AX = 1705H DX = WinOldAp-Supported Clipboard format ES:BX = Pointer to data buffer to hold data Return Values AX == 0: Error occurred (or data in this format is not in the clipboard) <> 0: OK Note This call should be preceded by a GetClipBoardDataSize() call to find out how much memory is required for the buffer. No checking is performed, the caller must ensure that the buffer is big enough; otherwise, some of the callers code or data may be overwritten. Name CloseClipboard() Parameters AX = 1708H Return Values AX == 0: Error occurred <> 0: OK Name ClipboardCompact() Parameters AX = 1709H SI:CX = Desired memory size in bytes. Return Values DX:AX == Number of bytes of largest block of free memory. == 0 if error or no memory Notes The MS-DOS-based application is responsible for including the size of any headers in the desired memory size. Name GetDeviceCaps() Parameters AX = 170AH DX = GDI information index Return Values AX == integer value of desired item == 0 if error Notes The implied hDC for this call will be for the display. Supported Clipboard Formats --------------------------- The following Windows clipboard formats are supported: CF_TEXT = 1 CF_BITMAP = 2 ; See structures section CF_OEMTEXT = 7 CF_DSPTEXT = 81h CF_DSPBITMAP = 82h NOTE: Since the RegisterClipboardFormat() and EnumClipboardFormats() functions are not available at this time, the use of private clipboard formats is not supported. Structures ---------- These structures mimic the actual Windows structures with one major difference: instead of including a handle or pointer to other memory containing the actual data, the data follows the structure. The structure information now behaves like a header prefacing the data. Bitmap structure: bmType DW ? ; Always 0 bmWidth DW ? ; Width of bitmap in pixels bmHeight DW ? ; Height of bitmap in raster lines bmWidthBytes DW ? ; Bytes/raster line bmPlanes DB ? ; Number of color planes in the bitmap bmBitsPixel DB ? ; Number of adj color bits to def pixel bmBits DQ ? ; Points to byte following bmHigDim bmWidDim DW ? ; Width of bitmap in 0.1 mm units bmHigDim DW ? ; Height of bitmap in 0.1 mm units BitmapData nBytes ; The actual data Additional query words: 3.00 3.10 ====================================================================== Keywords : kb16bitonly Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK300 kbWinSDK310 Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.1 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. 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