One more clipboard access method on unix

[unxed]

xclip is rarely installed by default. If not, a helper script can be used instead, using for example python with one of commonly installed by default modules. Like this:

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import sys
import tkinter as tk

root = tk.Tk()
root.withdraw()  # hide the main window

if len(sys.argv) > 1:
    # write text to the clipboard
    text = " ".join(sys.argv[1:])
    root.clipboard_clear()
    root.clipboard_append(text)
    root.update()
    # keep the Tk window alive a little longer so X11 can persist the clipboard
    root.after(10, root.destroy)
    root.mainloop()
else:
    # read text from the clipboard
    try:
        print(root.clipboard_get())
    except tk.TclError:
        print("", end="")

[unxed]

Setting clipboard in one line:

python3 -c "import tkinter as tk,time; r=tk.Tk(); r.withdraw(); r.clipboard_clear(); r.clipboard_append('Test 1234'); r.update(); r.after(10, r.destroy); r.mainloop()"

[magiblot]

Thanks for the suggestion! I hadn't thought of using python. But does setting the keyboard actually work? Doing so in X11 requires keeping the process alive until someone else writes to the clipboard: that's the point of xclip and xsel. In fact, the example you provided doesn't work for me:

Setting clipboard in one line:

python3 -c "import tkinter as tk,time; r=tk.Tk(); r.withdraw(); r.clipboard_clear(); r.clipboard_append('Test 1234'); r.update(); r.after(10, r.destroy); r.mainloop()"

[unxed]

Have you tried Ctrl+Shfit+Ins, or only Ctrl+Ins after running this command? Ctrl+Shfit+Ins works for me in GNOME Terminal.

Also, GTK may be used instead:

python3 -c "import gi; gi.require_version('Gtk','3.0'); from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk; cb=Gtk.Clipboard.get(Gdk.SELECTION_CLIPBOARD); cb.set_text('Test 1234', -1); cb.store()"

[magiblot]

There are clipboard managers which automatically take ownership over the clipboard so that closing other windows won't result in the loss of the clipboard contents. That could be the reason why it's working for you out of the box.

A possible solution using Gtk3 which waits for the clipboard owner to change before exiting could be:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk

def main():
    clipboard = Gtk.Clipboard.get(Gdk.SELECTION_CLIPBOARD)
    skip_first = [True]
    
    def handle_owner_change(clipboard, event):
        if skip_first[0]:
            # Skip our own ownership change
            skip_first[0] = False
            print("Skipped initial ownership change")
            return
        
        if event.owner:
            print("External ownership change detected!")
            Gtk.main_quit()
    
    clipboard.connect('owner-change', handle_owner_change)
    clipboard.set_text('Test 1234', -1)
    clipboard.store()
    
    print("Monitoring clipboard ownership...")
    Gtk.main()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

Or, in a very compact one-liner:

python3 -c "import gi; gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0'); from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk; c=Gtk.Clipboard.get(Gdk.SELECTION_CLIPBOARD); s=[True]; c.connect('owner-change', lambda c,e: (s.__setitem__(0, False) if s[0] else (Gtk.main_quit() if e.owner else None))); c.set_text('Test 1234', -1); c.store(); Gtk.main()"