Best Windows Clipboard Replacements. Free program for working with the clipboard
Not everyone is comfortable communicating with the clipboard via “copy-paste” every day. Sometimes you need a history of actions, data reuse, restoration, or text insertion without formatting. There are many tools to make work easier, and I’ll tell you about them now.
Lightweight, fast and free clipboard manager. Thanks to this program, you won't have to copy the same information and files over and over again. By pressing the hotkey, a program window appears with all the data that you have ever copied.
I have been using Clipdiary for many years, and it is one of the indispensable utilities for me. Even now, to write this post, I use Clipdiary every half minute. And just a couple of days after I first got acquainted with the program, I got a license for it.
A small utility, after installing which you can copy the contents of files through the context menu:
The utility supports text files in txt format and image files in jpg, pcx, png, bmp, tga, gif, tif formats.
You can take a screenshot by pressing Prt Scr, or by pressing Prt Scr with the program. I really like this utility because it allows you to set actions that will be performed after taking a screenshot.
I configured it to save the screenshot to disk, open it in the Paint.net application, and copy it to the clipboard. This way I get a copy of the screenshot on disk and can quickly edit it. If no editing is required, I immediately paste it into the destination.
PhraseExpress
The most powerful utility for auto-typing text and executing various macros. It allows you to significantly reduce the time you spend writing texts.
The utility itself can serve as an analogue of Clipdiary, since it has exactly the same functionality for monitoring the clipboard. In addition, you can create many macros using a buffer. For example, I can insert a file path depending on the window title.
Pushbullet
Cross-platform utility for synchronizing Push notifications between all devices. One of its features is clipboard synchronization. Everything you copied on one device immediately becomes available on all others.
Punto Switcher
It is famous for the fact that it allows you to change the keyboard layout on the fly. However, many of its users are well familiar with the diary function, in which you can save all texts entered from the keyboard, as well as the entire clipboard. Or you can quickly change the layout of the text in the buffer.
TeraCopy
File copy manager. The program copies faster than the standard Windows manager, plus it has a built-in check for the integrity of files after copying. You also have the opportunity to copy files to frequently used folders in almost one click. To do this, simply add them to your favorites.
Tynt
Hello everyone, my dear friends and guests of my blog. Dmitry Kostin is with you, as always, and today I would like to tell you about one very cool feature. Have you ever found yourself constantly needing to copy and paste values? I know what happened. But the thing is that the clipboard can only remember one action, and sometimes you need to copy and paste completely different values.
Yes, it becomes very inconvenient, since you have to constantly switch back and forth. But there is still a way out of this situation. And thanks to what I’m going to tell you today, you can really make your work on computers easier. Namely, I will tell you, dear friends, how to make several clipboards so as not to run back and forth.
One of the best programs in this regard, naturally in my opinion, is an application called Ditto. So let's not drag the cat by the rubber band and download it from official website. It is not difficult to install, so I think there is no point in discussing this point.
You should see a blue circle appear in your tray. This is our program. And when we click on this icon, a window will open. It is still empty, but all your copied things will be stored there. But before working with the buffer itself, let's go through the settings. To do this, click on the icon of three vertical dots and select "Options".
In principle, you don’t need to touch anything in the “General” tab, since everything is configured fine there. But the only thing is, you can put an arbitrary one “Maximum objects to save” is smaller. I don't think you'll ever need 500 memorized copy-pastes. And you can also set a deadline after which these entries will be deleted. By default, the checkbox is unchecked. And if you want the program not to start after Windows boots, then also check the box in the right place.
Go to the tab "Hotkeys". This is actually a very interesting point. We will definitely dwell on it, since here we can set hot keys for the first ten positions in the program. This is really what I was looking for such a program for.
So, to set the keys, you need to stand in each cell and press the desired button or key combination. I decided to set the combinations CTRL+1 — CTRL+0, naturally depending on the position. You can also check the checkbox next to Win. Then the Win button will also participate in your combination, as far as you understand.
Basically, I didn't configure anything else. But if you want, you can go through the rest of the parameters. Everything should be clear to you there. Well, then we press OK and let's get to work.
Job
Well, now let’s crack our fingers and get down to the actual work. And let's look at a live example. Once at work, I needed to register 90 people on one portal. Let me tell you, the work was quite routine. And the registration card had such mandatory fields as the name of the organization, work phone number, and address of the place of work.
In fact, each of these fields contains absolutely the same information. But due to the fact that around 90 such cards need to be registered, a lot of routine, repetitive actions have to be performed. And thanks to this program, you can simply copy these three positions and easily paste. In general, why am I telling everything? Let me show you.
For the sake of example, I will create an Excel document and write the three above positions there. And in a text document I will write the values that I must insert. See as shown in the picture below.
Now I will copy each value from the text document one by one, i.e. First, I’ll select the first line and press CTRL+C, then the second, and then the third. There is no need to insert anything yet. After that, open the ditto program in the notification area. Do you see? Now you have these three values entered into it. And you can use them, and in two ways.
Manual method
This method means that you will paste the values directly from the window. For ease of use of this method, I recommend (when ditto is open) to press the key combination CTRL+Space. Then the window with the program will be fixed and you will not have to constantly call it again.
Now go to the document and stand in the first cell (organization name). And click on the first value twice in the program window, and then go to the desired cell and click CTRL+V. Do you see? It landed where it should. Now double-click on the second value in the window and click again CTRL+V, previously being in the second cell. Hop, and the phone was inserted. We do the same in the third case.
Hotkeys
This method is much faster and more convenient, and I prefer to use it, unless of course there are few values. And as you remember, we hammered in hot keys. This is exactly what we will use.
Stand in the first cell where the name of the organization is and click CTRL+1, or whatever you typed in as a combination. Now stand on the second cell and press CTRL+2. This will insert the second position. Well, as you already understood, we repeat exactly the same with the third position.
Other uses
You can type in a whole database of necessary inserts, and run the program only when it is needed, so that garbage copies are not embedded.
For example, you can store your e-wallet numbers and insert them when needed. Or store your mailboxes and also use this insert when needed. As you can see, there are a whole bunch of possibilities. Only then do not forget to uncheck the box in the parameters where it says “Maximum storage period.”
And if you need to delete any records, this is done using the usual button Delete.
I regret that I didn't find this program earlier. Now my productivity at the computer has really improved. And if you want to make your computer work even more productive, simple and optimized, then I would strongly recommend that you watch this video course. It talks about very interesting tricks, how to speed up when working on a computer.
Well, I’m finishing my article for today. I hope you found it useful and will now use the advanced features of the clipboard. So don’t forget to subscribe to blog updates and, of course, share the post on social networks. I'm waiting for you again. Good luck. Bye bye!
Best regards, Dmitry Kostin.
The Windows clipboard is used to temporarily store various types of copied information, be it a piece of text, a picture or a file. Only one copied object is placed in it; when copying again, the previous one is deleted. This is done so that frequent copying does not fill up the entire disk space. After all, depending on how large a fragment is copied, the appropriate disk space is allocated for it. It is clear that with frequent copying this space will quickly run out.
But when working with documents and copying different sections of text, it is sometimes useful to be able to copy to clipboard several objects, but I would like to be able to select them. This feature is implemented in the popular text editor Microsoft Word. However, its implementation is far from ideal. The fact is that the Word buffer is limited by the number of objects copied and is suitable for storing the objects it supports (text, images). Also, when working with other applications and text editors, you can paste into them only the last copied object.
Nevertheless, clipboard Microsoft Office greatly simplifies your work, and the developers have tried to clipboard was available in a number of office applications. So, for example, after copying several pieces of text in Word, you can paste them into an Excel table. To take advantage of the advanced clipboard office, when working with a document (for example, in Word), it is enough to open the help, which will appear on the right. By clicking on the inscription “ Word Help", a list of available sections will be displayed. Find the section " Clipboard " and click on it. You can also just press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C+C(by double clicking on the “ WITH" with clamped " Ctrl"). Now, each time you copy, the copied fragments will be displayed in the right window; double-clicking on them will paste them into the text. To insert an object in another office application, also open the " Clipboard » and select the desired object.
Fortunately, expand Windows clipboard possible for all applications used. A large number of small utilities have been developed for these purposes, most of which are distributed absolutely free and have a minimal size. Such programs include Clipboard Recorder, CLCL, ClipMate and others.
Clipboard Recorder
Clipboard Record
The Clipboard Recorder program allows you to significantly expand the capabilities of the clipboard when working in office applications. Like most similar utilities, Clipboard Recorder will have an icon in the system tray after launch. In this case, the program will remember all copied objects and place them in its Floating List. Just click on any copied object to paste it into the text. The utility can preserve the formatting of a copied text fragment, and also allows you to copy images and other types of data. The program's supported data types can be viewed in its settings (Optons). In addition, everything copied to clipboard Data can be transferred over a local network to another computer. The disadvantage of the Clipboard Recorder utility, like the standard Microsoft Office clipboard, is the inability to work with files and folders.
CLCL
Another CLCL utility allows you to make the most of clipboard, both in office applications and in any other programs and file managers. The program places its icon in the system tray and monitors clipboard. The copied data is cached by the program and remembered. Just open the program window using a keyboard shortcut Alt+C to view a list of all copied objects. At the same time, small thumbnails are displayed for images, which is much more visual than “dry” names. The developers have endowed the utility with wide functionality. For example, using an application filter will exclude adding to clipboard data from specified programs or change the keyboard shortcut for them, etc. Users will also be pleased with the Russian interface of the program.
As you know, the standard Windows clipboard allows you to store only one piece of data, since any subsequent entry of information into the buffer leads to overwriting what was previously there. As a result, it will no longer be possible to restore one of the previous text fragments from the clipboard, so to insert it into the document you will have to re-access the source, which will slow down the preparation of the document. At the same time, it is not at all difficult to expand the possibilities of using information placed on the clipboard by “teaching” Windows to remember more than one piece of data. To do this, just use the Microsoft Office clipboard (it allows you to store 24 blocks of information, but accessing it is not always convenient, and it can be overwritten) or install a special clipboard manager. This article is dedicated to getting to know such managers. There are quite a few utilities on the market today that allow you to restore a lot of text and graphic data stored on it from the clipboard. Some of the clipboard managers, if desired, can be used as full-fledged repositories of the most diverse and appropriately structured information; the functionality of others is minimal and limited only by the ability to insert remembered fragments.
ClipMate 7.3.14
Developer: Thornsoft Development, Inc.Distribution size: 7.21 MB
Spreading: shareware ClipMate is one of the most multifunctional solutions for working with the Windows clipboard, which is a convenient tool for restoring any of the thousands of text and graphic fragments stored in the clipboard, as well as the names of copied files and folders. The demo version of the program (there is a Russian-language localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days, the cost of the commercial version is $34.95. The program has a Portable edition - it does not require installation and can be recorded on a flash drive or external drive, which provides the ability to work with your data on any computer with the ClipMate utility installed. The ClipMate window can be displayed in two modes: Classic and Explorer. In the first, only the toolbar and the name of the last saved fragment are visible. The second displays all the information about all available fragments and all collections, with folders with fragments on the left, and brief information about a specific fragment on the right (date of memorization, the first words of the text in the case of a text fragment, etc.). The lower part of the window in Classic mode is reserved for viewing the selected fragment, and viewing can be done in different formats: in the form of plain text, as well as in Rich Text Format or HTML.
By default, the program automatically captures all data copied to the buffer, but the range of information stored in the database may be limited to specific types of data. When storing a fragment in the database, certain text (for example, a date) can be automatically added to it in accordance with the established template. All fragments are automatically placed in the “Inbox” folder, but for ease of use, it is easy to redistribute them into specific collection folders (such folders are created independently and their number is unlimited) by simply dragging and dropping. In addition to such real folders, ClipMate also has virtual ones (fragments are not stored in them), which contain links to fragments combined according to some principle: date of entry (say, saved yesterday) or export date or type. And also a secret folder “Safe”, in which you can store passwords, logins and other confidential data - there they will be under reliable protection, since 56-bit ARC4 encryption is used. Any of the fragments located in the database can be viewed in the main window in the viewing area, as well as on an enlarged scale in a separate window (command "View" > "Clip View"). You can also insert it into a working document by dragging or double-clicking. It is possible to insert a series of fragments. This is done using the very convenient PowerPaste function - first, place the fragments of interest so that they are located sequentially, then turn on the PowerPaste mode (here you need to control the direction of movement through the list) and switch to the document, where they insert all the fragments one after another in turn without switching every time in ClipMate. It is possible to paste one fragment to the end of another (command "Edit" > "Append to End"), as well as create a kind of fragments - "text templates". The latter is useful when filling out all kinds of forms and requires preliminary preparation of a special fragment in which individual elements of the form will be separated by a paragraph symbol. Inserting data from such a fragment is done in the clip splitting mode (a button in the upper left corner of the program window in the form of a plate of fragments) and in practice means the following. First, the desired fragment is selected and the corresponding mode is activated in the utility, and then form elements are inserted into the form in the usual way - that is, for example, by pressing the combination Ctrl + V.
It is also possible to edit fragments, and it is possible not only to change the case, as well as insert or delete specific data, but also to automatically clear text of empty lines, line feeds, etc., search and replace characters, check spelling, etc. For quick access to the desired fragment, there is an advanced search that allows you to search for fragments using many parameters: keywords, collection name, source, date of placement in the database, etc.
Spartan Multi Clipboard 4.00.01
Developer: M8 Software(UK)Distribution size: 3.79 MB
Spreading: shareware Spartan Multi Clipboard is a utility for managing the clipboard, allowing you to restore text and graphic information from it. The demo version of the program (there is no Russian localization) is operational for 30 days and allows you to restore no more than 200 fragments. The cost of the commercial version is $19.99. It should be noted that there are comments on the Internet from users of this program about its sometimes incorrect work with the Cyrillic alphabet - in our case this was not noted. In theory, the Spartan Multi Clipboard can store up to 150 pieces of data, but the number of variable clips is limited to 25. Memorized clips are automatically saved in the upper part of the program window (yellow area), where variable information is stored. Clips that are left for permanent use must be dragged from the yellow area to the white area. And then, for convenience, they can be somehow organized - for example, sorted alphabetically or simply arranged in a convenient order. Individual clips can be highlighted in color to make them easier to navigate. The built-in search also simplifies the process of finding elements in the database. It must be said that in general the principle of organizing fragments here is very convenient if we consider the manager not only from the point of view of inserting just remembered fragments, but also entering various types of permanent information.
Any of the fragments in the database can be viewed on an enlarged scale and inserted into a working document, for which you just need to place the cursor in the document and click on the clip, or after activating the clip, use the “Insert” command from the context menu in the application. However, it is worth noting that the first method does not work in every application. When inserting links, they can be quickly opened in an Internet browser. If necessary (for example, when copying large reports that clearly do not need to be stored in the clip library, if only because of the space it takes up on the disk), you can temporarily disable clipboard tracking using the Tools > "Turn Off Capturing" command. The program also implements fragment editing. In particular, in text blocks text can be inserted or deleted, case changed, etc., and graphic fragments can easily be supplemented with text, graphic primitives, background images, etc.
There is a free, simplified analogue of Spartan Multi Clipboard - the M8 Free Clipboard utility (http://m8software.com/clipboards/freeclip/freeclip.htm; 4.78 MB), the capabilities of which are limited to storing the last 25 fragments.
Ditto 3.15.4
Developer:Distribution size: 2.04 MB
Spreading: free Ditto is a very convenient and simple utility for working with the clipboard. It allows you to restore thousands of text (including formatting) and graphic blocks of information. The program (there is no Russian localization) can be downloaded and used completely free of charge. By default, all fragments are placed in a common area, but if necessary, some of them can be easily placed immediately or later moved to specific groups, which allows you to save fragments in accordance, for example, with a theme or software tool. A built-in search filter makes it easy to navigate multiple fragments by simply typing a word in the search bar at the bottom of the Ditto window. Any of the database fragments can be viewed by hovering the mouse over it or pressing the F3 key on it, and, if necessary, make it undeletable (command "Quick Properties" > "Never Auto Delete"). The latter makes sense for remembering some permanent information that often has to be entered - say, your own e-mail. It is also possible to edit text fragments in the built-in editor, however, only inserting and deleting some information from them, as well as simple formatting, is allowed here.
Inserting the desired fragment into a document is very convenient - drag and drop. If you wish, you can simultaneously insert not one, but more fragments copied from different places at a time, however, this only works for fragments of the same format. If desired, you can assign hotkeys for insertion for the first ten fragments.
It is convenient to use Ditto as a mini-database for frequently used text fragments - to do this, you need to remember the necessary fragments sequentially, and then disable data collection by selecting the "Disconnect from ClipBoard" command from the program's context menu. After this, you can quickly insert words and phrases previously placed in the database into the required fields by simply dragging and dropping.
Global Clipboard 2.2
Developer: ElasticLogicDistribution size: 1.56 MB
Spreading: shareware Global Clipboard is a fairly easy-to-use clipboard manager that allows you to restore images, texts (including formatting) and names of copied files and folders from the clipboard. The demo version of the program (there is a Russian localization) is fully functional and operational for 30 days, the cost of the commercial version is $19.95, but this program can be purchased at Allsoft.ru for 300 rubles. It is worth noting that during testing the program did not work stable enough and crashed several times. A similar situation occurred when we accessed this utility a couple of years ago. By default, the utility can store up to 20 fragments (if desired, the number of stored fragments can be increased to 1000), but the number of active fragments (that is, those that can be accessed instantly) is limited to five. At the same time, if necessary, you can move between saved fragments and change their places, which opens access to other blocks of information available in the database. Any of the active fragments can be viewed in an enlarged form by pressing the left mouse button on it; however, the contents of the fragment will be difficult to read, but you can still find your way around. For each of the active fragments, detailed information is provided (the number of lines, words and characters in the copied text, as well as the sizes of images and screenshots). It is most convenient to insert a fragment into the application window by double-clicking the mouse, but you can also press the Enter key or through the "Insert" menu item. It is possible to accumulate several text fragments in a buffer (the "Add text to buffer" command) and simultaneously insert them into the document. It is possible to save different sets of fragments and, when working with a specific application, load the desired set of fragments - the “Manage Slots” button is responsible for working with sets.
It is possible to recognize identical fragments and edit them; when editing text fragments, it is possible to change the case, and for graphic fragments - rotation, mirroring and inverting colors. Both will require pre-configuring hotkeys. If text of a certain type (link or email address) is copied to the clipboard, the program can automatically launch the application necessary to process it - open the link in an Internet browser or create a letter for the email address contained in the clipboard.
The clipboard is one of the most used operating system tools. We are so accustomed to the standard commands Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V that we perform copying and pasting operations “automatically”. These simple steps can save you a lot of time. And if you enhance the usual Windows clipboard capabilities with special applications, you can improve your productivity even more. This review contains six of the best programs for working with the clipboard.
The standard clipboard in MS Office and Visual studio has several important disadvantages. Firstly, the number of memorized fragments is limited. Secondly, only those fragments that were copied within applications are remembered. Finally, there is no way to paste stored objects into third-party programs, and when you close MS Office or Visual studio, all saved data disappears. The Ditto utility does not have these shortcomings. With its help, you can save an unlimited number of text fragments, as well as images copied to the clipboard, HTML code, etc.
Ditto has one more serious advantage over standard tools for working with the clipboard. If the program is installed on two or more computers, the contents of the clipboard can be synchronized between working machines. When transmitting data over the network, the information is encrypted, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of the data.
Despite the fact that the number of stored fragments is not limited, in some cases storing a huge number of objects in a buffer is not at all necessary. Therefore, Ditto allows you to set a limit on the number of objects you can save (the default is 500), and you can also set a maximum storage period for them (for example, erase them after five days).
To paste data previously entered into the clipboard, use a special window, which is called up by pressing CTRL+~ or by clicking on the program icon in the tray. It displays the last objects placed on the clipboard, and also provides an instant database search. A thumbnail is created for graphic objects, and formatting elements can be shown for RTF fragments.
Although Ditto's main function is to work with the clipboard, the program can also be used simply as a tool for quickly inserting templates. Templates can be created in the built-in text editor. If you want the application to work only with a certain number of fragments and not be replenished with new ones, you can simply disable clipboard tracking. The template database can be saved and later imported into Ditto.
Among the advantages of ArsClip is operation without the need for installation (portable mode), as well as constant updates. The program offers two storage spaces for text fragments. The first contains the latest clips copied to the clipboard (by default there are 15, but the number can be changed). When you press CTRL+Shift+Z, saved items appear as a context menu. A separate submenu stores those fragments that the user accesses most often.
When the number of clips copied to the clipboard exceeds the maximum allowed, they are moved to another storage location. In essence, it resembles the Recycle Bin - the fragments are no longer at hand, but they are still not deleted. The maximum number of items in the second store can also be controlled.
ArsClip can also be used to insert frequently used text fragments. For this purpose, the program implements the function of saving permanent clips. Such fragments are invariably included in the quick insert list. In addition, each of them can be assigned its own hotkey.
ArsClip can insert text in different ways. For example, text fragments can be cleared of unnecessary formatting; fragments can be copied to the clipboard, but not pasted. In addition, keystrokes can be emulated when inserting. Paste options can be configured on a per-application basis.
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the quick insert list works in simplified mode by default. If you switch to advanced mode, some interesting functions become available. For example, it becomes possible to insert all the text that is saved in ArsClip with one click or select several fragments for insertion. In addition, you can use the form filling mode. After filling out each field, it will automatically move to the next field.
ArsClip works with both text and graphic elements, although you can disable image support in the settings if you wish. In addition, it is possible to limit the saving of graphic files by size. The program also has convenient commands for quickly deleting fragments from the database. You can delete only text elements, only graphic elements, all those placed in the quick insert list, etc.
Clipboard Magic remembers text fragments entered into the clipboard and compiles a list of such clips in the form of a table. Any of the previously used clips can be used again and again. To make the list of text fragments previously placed on the clipboard more visual, the user can set his own background color for a particular line in the list of clips.
Clips in the list can be sorted alphabetically, moved up and down, edited directly in the program window, search and replace characters. In addition, it is possible to import text files into the program and save their contents as clips.
To ensure that the program cache does not contain repetitions, the program can use the command to remove duplicate lists. Lists can be saved as separate files and quickly switch between different sets of clips. When you restart the program, the list is saved automatically, so if after opening Clipboard Magic you see empty lines, you just need to select the previously saved list and continue working with it.
The program does not have any quick insert menu, but you can place the Clipboard Magic window on top of all windows. Quick insertion is carried out by pressing CTRL+Shift+number from 0 to 9. The key combination can be changed, however, in any case, this method of insertion is not very convenient if you need to paste the same fragment several times, since each time you have to completely release the hotkeys . For example, to paste a piece of text from the Windows clipboard three times in the standard way, you need to press and hold the Ctrl key and then press the “V” key three times. In the case of Clipboard Magic, to insert multiple times you need to release and press “Ctrl” and “Shift” again, which is not very convenient.
