0

This useful answer shows how one can copy the given files to the clipboard. Is it possible in a similar way to copy files from a zip archive, as Explorer does? One can unzip the archive to a temporary folder and copy from there, but then there is a problem of subsequent deletion of the files, since it is not known when they can be deleted (the program may already be closed at this time).

AVK
  • 2,130
  • 3
  • 15
  • 25
  • 3
    Zip file contents aren't real files. To put them on the clipboard directly (rather than via a temporary file) you need to actually be able to extract the contents yourself, and provide an [IDataObject](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/objidl/nn-objidl-idataobject) that presents the [CFSTR_FILECONTENTS](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/clipboard#cfstr_filecontents) data format that lets other apps read the data stream. – Jonathan Potter Nov 09 '21 at 09:07
  • @Jonathan Potter This solves the problem of temporary files, but not the problem of closing the program. When the process ends, the `IDataObject` will be destroyed, right? – AVK Nov 09 '21 at 09:22
  • Theoretically an object on the clipboard can outlive the program that put it there. – Jonathan Potter Nov 09 '21 at 11:47
  • Yes, but if the object refers to a zip that doesn't exist anymore then the object should be removed from the clipboard. – Remy Lebeau Nov 09 '21 at 17:22

0 Answers0