iOS - detect when user copy to clipboard - [UIPasteboard generalPasteboard]

Question

quick easy question

while using a WebView with some text in it - the user can select a snippet of text from it and press a UIButton which I created - running the following action:

-(IBAction)copyToClip
{
    NSString *copyClip = [UIPasteboard generalPasteboard].string;
    NSLog(@"Clip = %@",copyClip);
    // (works fine)
}

I would like to call the same function without a UIButton, thus when the user did a "copy" action it will activate the above code. (I assume a listener)

what would be the appropriate listener for this?

have you check these notifications:http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4240087/receiving-uipasteboard-generalpasteboard-notification-while-in-the-background ? — Michał Zygar, Jan 20 '12 at 13:15

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 20 '12 at 13:29

16

Use NSNotificationCenter and register for UIPasteboardChangedNotification: http://developer.apple.com/library/IOs/documentation/UIKit/Reference/UIPasteboard_Class/Reference.html#//apple_ref/c/data/UIPasteboardChangedNotification

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:object selector:@selector(copyToClip) name:UIPasteboardChangedNotification object:nil];

answered Jan 20 '12 at 13:29

2

Hey, Is it working when user get copy any thing in any other app. – Crazy Developer Aug 08 '17 at 13:41
1

What about Swift 4 version? – Ahmadreza Dec 15 '18 at 12:17

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 23 '20 at 08:49

0

If someone is interested in the Xamarin/C# version:

NSNotificationCenter.DefaultCenter.AddObserver(UIPasteboard.ChangedNotification, 
            notification => { 
                // custom code here
            });

answered Jun 23 '20 at 08:49

Karim El Jed

133
6

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 21 '23 at 21:25

Swift 5

UIPasteboard.changedNotification

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(handleCopy), name: UIPasteboard.changedNotification, object: nil)

@objc func handleCopy(sender: NSNotification) {
    // Handle new pasteboard
    print("pasteboard changed: \(UIPasteboard.general.items.first)")
}

Don't forget to add @objc to your handler so the method is visible to the objective-C selector.

iOS - detect when user copy to clipboard - [UIPasteboard generalPasteboard]

3 Answers3

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