Supported File Types for Windows 3.1 Clipboard

 Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
Article ID: Q80747
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

The Clipboard is the main data-exchange feature of Microsoft Windows. It is a common area for storing data handles through which applications can exchange formatted data. The Clipboard can hold a number of different data formats and corresponding data handles, all representing the same data, but in many different formats.

For example, a pie chart might be held in the Clipboard as both a metafile picture and a bitmap. An application receiving the pie chart from the Clipboard would have to choose which representation matched its requirements. In general, the format that provides the most information is the most desirable, as long as the application understands that format.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows provides several predefined data formats for use in data interchange. The following list describes the common formats: 

   Format          Description
   ------          -----------

   BITMAP          Specifies a device-dependent bitmap

   DIB             Specifies a device-independent bitmap

   DIF             Specifies that the data is in the Software Arts'
                   data-interchange format (DIF)

   METAFILEPICT    Specifies a metafile-picture structure

   OEMTEXT         Specifies null-terminated text in the OEM
                   character set

   RIFF            Specifies that the data is in any resource
                   interchange file (RIFF) format.

   SYLK            Specifies that the data is in the Microsoft
                   symbolic link (SYLK) format.

   TEXT            Specifies null-terminated text

                   Windows supports two formats for text: TEXT and
                   OEMTEXT. TEXT is the default Windows Clipboard text
                   format. OEMTEXT is used by Windows for text within
                   non-Windows-based applications.

   TIFF            Specifies that the data is in the tag image file
                   format (TIFF).

   WAVE            Specifies that the data is a RIFF waveform file with
                   form type WAVE.
NOTE: Clipboard data objects can be any size. The size of memory allocated for Clipboard usage is determined by the application copying to the Clipboard and the application receiving data from the Clipboard. You may receive an application error message if your application does not allocate sufficient memory.

KBCategory: kbtool kbole
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.1 KBOLE maximum max limit 3.11
win31

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Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
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