Question

I’m using code like this to get text from off the Clipboard.

Dim DataObj As New MSForms.DataObject
DataObj.GetFromClipboard
myString = DataObj.GetText

I use error handling to get the past the case where the Clipboard is empty, and everything is fine as long as I keep Error Trapping set to Break on Unhandled Errors.

However, for unrelated reasons I want to set Error Trapping to Break on All Errors, and this throws an error at DataObj.GetText when it finds the empty Clipboard. Is there any kind of test I can apply further upstream to avoid trying to process an empty Clipboard?

Answer 1

Handle the errors with On Error GoTo as shown here:

Sub GetClipBoardText()
   Dim DataObj As MSForms.DataObject
   Set DataObj = New MsForms.DataObject '<~~ Amended as per jp's suggestion

   On Error GoTo Whoa

   '~~> Get data from the clipboard.
   DataObj.GetFromClipboard

   '~~> Get clipboard contents
   myString = DataObj.GetText(1)
   MsgBox myString

   Exit Sub
Whoa:
   If Err <> 0 Then MsgBox "Data on clipboard is not text or is empty"
End Sub

You will notice that it will handle an empty clipboard as well.

NB: to make the code work, you must have a reference to "Microsoft Forms 2.0 Object Library" (this file can be found at C:\windows\system32\FM20.dll on 32-bit machines, or at C:\Windows\sysWOW64\FM20.dll on 64-bit machines), otherwise you’d get the error "User-Defined type not defined".

You can empty the clipboard before testing the above code by using the code below. Please paste it in a module.

Private Declare Function OpenClipboard Lib "User32.dll" _
(ByVal hWndNewOwner As Long) As Long
  
Private Declare Function EmptyClipboard Lib "User32.dll" () As Long
 
Private Declare Function CloseClipboard Lib "User32.dll" () As Long
 
Public Sub ClearClipboard()
    Dim Ret
  
    Ret = OpenClipboard(0&)
    If Ret <> 0 Then Ret = EmptyClipboard
    CloseClipboard
End Sub

EDIT: you may also determine if the clipboard is empty by using this code:

Private Declare Function CountClipboardFormats Lib "user32" () As Long

Sub Sample()
    If (CountClipboardFormats() = 0) = True Then
        MsgBox "Clipboard is empty"
    Else
        MsgBox "Clipboard is not empty"
    End If
End Sub