Quick Start Guide

Storing Information

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

Recorded Clipboard Formats:

Pasting Information

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 Clipboard list or the Favorites 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 is shown above the clipboard list by default.  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.  As you get familiar with the program, you can hide this target information panel by using a setting in the program options. 

Docking the program (Sides of the screen or System Tray)

Clipboard Buddy can be docked to any side of the screen.  Using the blue buttons on the bottom or dragging the program, 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 tray by the clock.   If you wish to dock the program at the bottom, you can drag the program to the bottom edge, or any edge, and it will automatically dock.  A push pin icon is used to pin the program to the screen.  This is useful when multiple items need to be pasted.  To store the program in the system tray, click the blue 'send to tray' button or right click in the clipboard area.  The bottom menu item is 'Minimize to Tray'.  Clicking the clipboard icon in the system tray will bring the clipboard back into view no matter where it's at.  Also, the ALT-U shortcut will pin(shows) or unpins(hides) the program when docked.

The Favorite List

The favorites list is independent of the clipboard list.  Items do not get added to the favorite list unless you right-click on the item and select 'Move to Favorites'.  Pasting from the favorites list is identical to pasting from the clipboard list.  Additionally, the macro keys (CTRL-1 to 9) correspond to the first 9 rows of your favorites list.  For example, pressing CTRL-2 will paste the contents of row 2 in your favorites list into the current target application.  This is useful for signatures and very repetitive data.  Items can be re-arranged on the list by dragging an item up or down.  Right-clicking on an item in the favorites list will show you what macro key its assigned to.  Hovering over an icon in the favorites list will display the macro key information along with a portion of the actual data in that item.  Hot keys can be customized by using 'Custom Hot Key Mapping' from the options menu.

Saving & Loading Files

As stated earlier, your clipboard list and favorites list are independent of each other.  They each have their own file data.  Saving your favorites list doesn't effect your clipboard list and vice versa.  When loading a clipboard or favorites file(.cbb extension) it depends on which list you have showing as to where the file will be loaded.  This works for saving favorite and clipboard files too.  If you open a file from the clipboard list, the clipboard list will be the recipient of the clipboard file and vice versa for your favorites.  Both the clipboard list and favorites list use the same file format so you can interchange lists easily.  For example, if you have cut or copied a number of important items which you plan on using on a regular basis you could save the file from the clipboard list and later load the file into your favorites list.  More control of clipboard lists can be controlled by settings in the Options window.  The clipboard and favorites list have an auto save feature. The auto save feature does not save the lists as an actual file, it saves them internally so they are present in the clipboard list the next time you run the program or start Windows.  Password protected lists do not get saved internally, they must be saved as an actual Clipboard Buddy file.  To save a list as an actual file, you must select the 'Save File' menu item. 

See information on Macro Pasting.