Clipboard Copy-Paste doesn't work on Win Server 2008/Vista 64bit

Question

Hi,

I am trying to use Clipboard API (in Delphi) to extract images from Word documents. my code works OK in Windows XP/2003 but in windows 2008 64 bit it doesn't work. in win 2008 i get an error saying that Clipboard.Formats is empty and doesn't contain any format.

The image seems to be copied to the Clipboard (i can see it in the clipboard via Word) but when i try to ask the clipboard what format does he have it said it doesn't have any formats.

how can i access the clipboard programmatically on win 2008/Vista? from what i know of 2008 64 bit, it might be a security issue...

here is the code snippet:

This is how i am trying to copy the Image to the clipboard:

W.ActiveDocument.InlineShapes.Item(1).Select; // W is a word ole object
W.Selection.Copy;

and this is how i try to paste it.

  Clipboard.Open;
      Write2DebugFile('FormatCount = ' + IntToStr(Clipboard.FormatCount)); // FormatCount=0 
      For JJ := 1 to Clipboard.FormatCount Do
          Write2DebugFile('#'+ IntToStr(JJ) + ':' + IntToStr(Clipboard.Formats[JJ]));
      If (Clipboard.HasFormat(CF_BITMAP)) or
        (Clipboard.HasFormat(CF_PICTURE)) or
        (Clipboard.HasFormat(CF_METAFILEPICT)) then    // all HasFormat calls returns false.
      Begin
       Jpeg := TJPEGImage.Create;
       Bitmap := TBitmap.Create;
       Bitmap.LoadFromClipboardFormat(cf_BitMap,ClipBoard.GetAsHandle(cf_Bitmap),0);
       Jpeg.Assign(Bitmap);
       Jpeg.SaveToFile(JpgFileN);
       try Jpeg.Free; except; end;
       ResizeImage(JpgFileN,750);
       Write2DebugFile('Saving ' + JpgFileN);
      End
      else  Write2DebugFile('Doesnt have the right format');

Thanks in advance, Itay

Answer 1

So, what is the format list from your debug output? And what sort of delay happens between the copy and the paste? You'll definitely need some idle time between those snips of code. i.e. you can't copy and then immediately expect to be able to paste.

Answer 2

You can use Sharp IMG Viewer 2008 application to examine clipboard formats. The .NET application can be downloaded from http://sites.google.com/site/sharpimg/viewer. You can find more detailed information reading documentation.