Copy Content to Clipboard - Add to Context Menu

How to Add "Copy Content to Clipboard" to Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Copy to Clipboard from the right context menu of BAT, CMD, CSS, HTML, JS, LOG (txt), REG, RTF, TXT, and VBS files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

If added, this makes it a lot easier to copy the entire contents of a file with one of these file extensions to the clipboard, then paste the contents where you like.

   Note

This will not work for the RTF (WordPad) file extension context menus if you have Microsoft Office Word installed and set as the default program to open RTF files instead of WordPad.

EXAMPLE: Context Menu with "Copy Content to Clipboard" Added or Removed

OPTION ONE

Add or Remove "Copy Content to Clipboard" using REG File

NOTE: This option will allow you to automatically add or remove Copy to Clipboard from all of the context menus of the BAT, CMD, CSS, HTML, JS, LOG (txt), REG, RTF, TXT, and VBS files at once.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.

2. To Add "Copy Content to Clipboard"
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Copy_Content_to_Clipboard.reg

Download


3. To Remove "Copy Content to Clipboard"
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Copy_Content_to_Clipboard.reg

Download


4. Save the .reg file to your Desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. Click/tap on Run, Continue (UAC-Vista) or Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION TWO

Add or Remove "Copy Content to Clipboard" in Registry Editor

NOTE: This option will allow you to manually pick and choose to add or remove Copy to Clipboard from either one, more, or all of the context menus of the BAT, CMD, CSS, HTML, JS, LOG (txt), REG, RTF, TXT, and VBS files.
1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Continue (Vista) or Yes (Windows 7/8).

3. Do step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.

4. To Add "Copy Content to Clipboard" to the Context Menu
A) In regedit, navigate to the location below for the file extension that you wish to add Copy Content to Clipboard to.

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSSfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSFile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\rtffile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBSFile\shell

B) In the left pane of regedit, right click on shell, click/tap on New and Key, type Copy Content to Clipboard, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

C) In the right pane of Copy Content to Clipboard, right click on a empty space, click on New and String Value, type Icon, press Enter, and double click/tap on Icon to modify it. (see screenshot above)

D) In the Edit String box, copy and paste the commmand below, and click/tap on OK.
DxpTaskSync.dll,-52
E) In the left pane of regedit, right click on Copy Content to Clipboard, click/tap on New and Key, type command, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

F) In the right pane of command, double click/tap on (Default) to modify it. (see screenshot above)

G) In the Edit String box, copy and paste the commmand below, and click/tap on OK.
cmd /c clip < "%1"
H) Repeat step 3 above for any other file extenstion that you wish to add Copy Content to Clipboard to it's context menu.

I) When finished, go to step 6 below.
5. To REMOVE "Copy Content to Clipboard" from the Context Menu

A) In regedit, navigate to the location below for the file extension that you wish to remove Copy Content to Clipboard from.

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSSfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\JSFile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\rtffile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBSFile\shell\Copy Content to Clipboard

B) In the left pane of regedit, right click on Copy Content to Clipboard, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)

C) Click/tap on Yes to approve deleting the key. (see screenshot below)

D) Repeat step 4 above for any other file extenstion that you wish to remove Copy Content to Clipboard from it's context menu.

E) When finished, continue on to step 6.
6. Close Registry Editor.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add COPY TO FOLDER and MOVE TO FOLDER to Windows 7 Context Menu
• How to Add or Remove "Copy as Path" from the Vista and Windows 7 Context Menu
• How to Add "View and Print File Directory" to the Context Menu in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Add "Clear Clipboard" to the Context Menu in Windows
• How to Create a "Clear Clipboard" Shortcut in Windows

 

[EzioAuditore]

It's very useful, thanks Shawn.
It'd be nice if you can add the manual way too..

Shawn, can you explain a thing, just for my knowledge?

;For BAT files
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\Copy to Clipboard]
"Icon"="DxpTaskSync.dll,-52"
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\Copy to Clipboard\command]
@="cmd /c clip < \"%1\""
 
 
;For CMD files
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cmdfile\shell\Copy to Clipboard]
"Icon"="DxpTaskSync.dll,-52"

Here, the registry entries part are same in all cases, so, how're the diff. extentions get sorted?

I mean do these parts ";For BAT files", ";For CMD files" differentiate b/w them?

 

[Brink]

Hello Ezio,

I'm going to work on a manual part late tonight to be added to help better with this though.

The ;text...... parts are just comments to help tell what each section is for, and serve no other purpose. If you look at each [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile...... part after that in each section, you will notice that this is where the difference is.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Thanks Shawn. It's clear now.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

I've added the manual Option Two to the tutorial to help people to easily pick and choose what file extension they would like to have Copy to Clipboard added to or removed from.

 

[Bill2]

Good stuff Shawn. Cant rep you..need to spread the love.

 

[EzioAuditore]

Very well, thanks again Shawn.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome guys. Thank you.

 

[l3ny]

How about html, js and css files. thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello l3ny, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Those file extensions have been added to the tutorial.

 

[l3ny]

Hello l3ny, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Those file extensions have been added to the tutorial.

Thank you so much, css and html not showing, js it is showing does it matter that I'm using 7x64?
I was using another method to copy content but only works with txt files.

back then i was required to install CLIP.EXE, do i need clip.exe with yours if not how do i uninstall CLIP.EXE

 

[Brink]

l3ny,

It doesn't matter. This works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 all editions. I'm not sure why Copy Content to Clipboard is not showing when you right click on CSS and HTML files since it's showing and working for me.

No, you do not need to copy or install clip.exe. Windows 7 comes with it at C:\Windows\System32\clip.exe by default.

Did you use the updated REG file download since your last post to add them?

 

[l3ny]

l3ny,

It doesn't matter. This works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 all editions. I'm not sure why Copy Content to Clipboard is not showing when you right click on CSS and HTML files since it's showing and working for me.

No, you do not need to copy or install clip.exe. Windows 7 comes with it at C:\Windows\System32\clip.exe by default.

Did you use the updated REG file download since your last post to add them?

I used the new updated reg. I opened my registry and i see below the folder: copy content to clipboard an edit with adobe Dreamweaver, does it mean anything? showld i delete it?.

You know since i installed the clip.exe i get a cmd window every time can i delete C:\Windows\System32\clip.exe ?

 

[Brink]

Install clip.exe?? Why??

The tutorial was written to work with the clip.exe that comes with Windows 7. You can run a sfc /scannow command to hopefully restore the default clip.exe file.

I used the new updated reg. I opened my registry and i see below the folder: copy content to clipboard an edit with adobe Dreamweaver, does it mean anything? showld i delete it?.

Could you post a screenshot of this to help see what it may be?

 

[l3ny]

here is the shot.

 

[Brink]

l3ny,

It appears that having Adobe Dreamweaver set as the default program to open CSS files instead of the default Notepad may be why it's not working for that file extension for the same reason as RTF files in the NOTE box at the top of the tutorial.

 

[l3ny]

no, I actually have css with notepad. if i find the solution i will let you now ok. thanks

 

[Brink]

Ok. You might see if downloading and merging the CSS option in the tutorial below to reset all assocations and settings for CSS files back to default, then try running the REG file to add Copy Content to Clipboard back may have it display afterwards.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html#post208633

 

[l3ny]

yes restoring just the files with the problem solve the issue,
thank you, now what can i do with the cmd window flashing every time? do i need it? everything started to happen after i installed clip.exe

 

[Brink]

As long as it's copying the contents to the clipboard, then it's normal.

The flashing of the command prompt is nothing more than the command from the context menu item running in the command prompt to copy the contents of the selected file into the clipboard. You usually do not notice the command prompt flashing unless the selected file is around 1MB or more in size.