Quick Start Guide

Storing Information

When you cut or copy data from any application in Windows, Clipboard Buddy stores this information in its Inbox folder.  Items are stored from the top down with the newest item being at the top.  An icon to the left of the clipped item tells you what type of data has been stored.  Data types are Text, Rich Text, HTML, Word, Excel, Open Office, PC Files, Links or an Image format.  Hovering over the item icon will give you a popup preview window which displays some of the contents of that item.  Items can be re-arranged by dragging them up or down.

Recorded Clipboard Formats:

 
   File/Folder Format

  -Plus hundreds of other program formats.

How to Paste what you've collected

To paste the data which has been stored by the program, click the area where you want the data pasted.  For example, if it is an Outlook message or Windows Mail message, click in the area of the main message window, then double click the item in Clipboard Buddy whether from the Inbox or any folder list.  (You can also right-click on the item in Clipboard Buddy and select the 'Paste' command).  The data stored in that item will automatically be pasted into the target application.  This will work for any application which accepts clipboard data, such as Word, Internet forms, Excel data sheets, graphic programs, etc.  The target application or document name is shown at the bottom right corner of Clipboard Buddy.  The target is the application/document that Clipboard Buddy will send data to when you are ready.  This information will help you understand how Clipboard Buddy 'thinks' while you are working. 

Docking the Program (Sides of the screen or Notification Area)

Clipboard Buddy can be docked to the left, top or right of the screen.  Using the (Dock) menu command under [Options] you can have Clipboard Buddy dock to the left, top or right side.  This feature allows you to work with the full amount of desktop space.  When docked to the side of the screen, Clipboard Buddy will hide itself until needed.  You can easily access it by moving the mouse to it's location to unhide the program or clicking the clipboard icon in the system notification area by the clock, also know as the system tray.  A push pin icon is used to pin the program to the screen when docked.  This is useful when multiple items need to be pasted.  To store the program in the notification area or system tray, click the close button in the upper right corner, by default this will send Clipboard Buddy to the 'tray' area.  Clicking the clipboard icon in the system tray will bring the clipboard back into view no matter where it is docked.  To exit the program, select [File] then the [Exit] menu command.  You can also exit the program by right-clicking the clipboard icon in the notification area and selecting [Exit].

Working with Clips

All items recorded by Clipboard Buddy will appear in your Inbox.  For items that you know you will want to keep or for better organization of the clips you can drag individual items into separate folders.  First, create a folder by right-clicking in the folder area and select [New Folder] or by selecting the [Edit] menu at the top and selecting [New Folder].  Clipboard Buddy will ask for a name for this new folder.  After giving it a name, select your Inbox list and drag the item over the new folder until it is highlighted then drop it there.  Your item is now in the new folder.  You can have as many folders as you like with unlimited clips in each folder, however we do suggest keeping your folders capacity to approximately 1000 items or less for each folder.  Your PC speed and hard drive access will mostly determine the amount of clips you can save.  You can also rename and delete clips by right-clicking on the clip item.  By default, all items deleted will be placed in the trash folder.  You can have clipboard Buddy automatically empty the trash upon exit of the program by selecting the option in the Preferences window.  A special folder is provided which is called {H-keys}.  This folder holds all your Hot Key pasting clips.  CTRL + 1 thru 9 are your Hot Key quick keys.  The way clip items are stored in the H-keys folder determines what items are pasted by which keys.  For example the item in the top row of the H-keys folder is pasted using CTRL + 1 key combination.  The item in the second row is pasted with CTRL + 2 and so on until CTRl + 9.  The first 9 rows are for your hot keys.  The remaining rows, if any, are used just as any other folders items.  To re-arrange your hot keys, just drag the clips up or down.  You can view the space used by the clips by right-clicking any folder and selecting properties.  The stored size of the folder will be displayed.

See more information on Hot keys.

Importing and Exporting Folders

You can import Clipboard Buddy V3 folders and Clipboard Buddy v2 files.  To import, select the [File] menu item at the top then select the [Import-->] menu item.  Select the data file to import and it will be imported as a folder.  Clipboard Buddy V3 supports all Clipboard Buddy version 2 files along with version 3 folders.  To export a folder select the [File] menu item at the top of the program then select the [Export-->] menu item.  Exported folders can then be shared between Clipboard Buddy V3 users by sending this file to the recipient and have him or her import it into their copy of Clipboard Buddy V3.  To export your Inbox or H-keys folder, move all the items to a new folder, using the 'Move All Items..' menu feature and then export that folder.