Rich Edit Clipboard Operations

An application can paste the contents of the clipboard into a rich edit control using either the best available clipboard format or a specific clipboard format. You can also determine whether a rich edit control is capable of pasting a clipboard format.

As with an edit control, you can copy or cut the contents of the current selection by using the WM_COPY or WM_CUT message. Similarly, you can paste the contents of the clipboard into a rich edit control by using the WM_PASTE message. The control pastes the first available format that it recognizes, which presumably is the most descriptive format.

To paste a specific clipboard format, you can use the EM_PASTESPECIAL message. This message is useful for applications with a Paste Special command that enables the user to select the clipboard format. You can use the EM_CANPASTE message to determine whether a given format is recognized by the control.

You can also use the EM_CANPASTE message to determine whether any available clipboard format is recognized by a rich edit control. This message is useful when processing the WM_INITMENUPOPUP message. An application might enable or gray its Paste command depending on whether the control can paste any available format.

Rich edit controls register two clipboard formats: Rich Text Format (RTF) and a format called RichEdit Text and Objects. An application can register these formats by using the RegisterClipboardFormat function, specifying the CF_RTF and CF_RETEXTOBJ values.