Clipboard Activity In Android Development

June 11, 2013 /
Android /
By Chetana

Android provides support for copy and paste feature using ClipBoardManager. This example covers the latest feature introduced in JellyBean, supporting the styled text.

Algorithm:

1.) Create a new project by File-> New -> Android Project name it ClipboardActivity.

2.) Write following into main.xml:

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">

<EditText
android:id="@+id/etCopy"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
android:gravity="top"
android:scrollHorizontally="false"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
/>
<RadioGroup
android:id="@+id/rbgTextHTML"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
>
<RadioButton
android:id="@+id/rbHtml"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:checked="true"
android:text="@string/rbHtml"/>
<RadioButton
android:id="@+id/rbText"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/rbText"/>

</RadioGroup>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:onClick="copyHtml"
android:text="@string/btCopy"/>
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:onClick="pasteHtml"
android:text="@string/btPaste"/>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:onClick="sendHtmlIntent"
android:text="@string/btSendHtmlIntent"/>
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight=".5"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:onClick="sendClipdataIntent"
android:text="@string/btSendClipdataIntent"/>
</LinearLayout>
<TextView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvCopiedText"/>
<EditText
android:id="@+id/etPaste"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
android:gravity="top"
android:scrollHorizontally="false"
/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvcoerceText"/>
<EditText
android:id="@+id/etPasteCoerceText"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="top"
android:scrollHorizontally="false"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"/>
</LinearLayout>

3.) Write following into strings.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>

<string name="app_name">ClipboardActivity</string>
<string name="hello_world">Hello world!</string>
<string name="menu_settings">Settings</string>
<string name="title_activity_htmlintent">Html Intent Activity</string>
<string name="title_activity_clipdataintent">ClipData Intent Activity</string>
<string name="tvHtml"><![CDATA[<b>Link:</b> <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>]]></string>
<string name="btCopy">Copy</string>
<string name="btPaste">Paste</string>
<string name="btSendHtmlIntent">send HTML Intent</string>
<string name="btSendClipdataIntent">send ClipData Intent</string>
<string name="rbHtml">Paste Html</string>
<string name="rbText">Paste Text</string>
<string name="tvCopiedText"><b><i>Copied text</i></b></string>
<string name="tvcoerceText"><b><i>Copied coerce Text</i></b></string>
<string name="tvIntentText"><b><i>Intent Text</i></b></string>
<string name="tvIntentHtml"><b><i>Intent Html</i></b></string>
<string name="tvIntentClipdataText"><b><i>Intent Clipdata Text</i></b></string>
<string name="tvIntentClipdataHtml"><b><i>Intent Clipdata Html</i></b></string>
</resources>

4.) Create and write following into layout/activity_htmlintent.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >

<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvIntentHtml" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/etHtml"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
android:scrollHorizontally="false" />

<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvIntentText" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/etText"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
android:scrollHorizontally="false" />

</LinearLayout>

5.) Create and write following into layout/activity_clipdataintent.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >

<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvIntentClipdataHtml" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/etClipBoardHtml"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
android:scrollHorizontally="false" />

<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="@string/tvIntentClipdataText" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/etClipBoardText"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="textMultiLine"
android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
android:scrollHorizontally="false" />

</LinearLayout>

6.) Create and write following into values/dimens.xml:

<resources>

<dimen name="padding_small">8dp</dimen>
<dimen name="padding_medium">8dp</dimen>
<dimen name="padding_large">16dp</dimen>

</resources>

7.) Write following into manifest file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.example.clipboardactivity"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >

<uses-sdk
android:minSdkVersion="16"
android:targetSdkVersion="16" />

<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
android:label="@string/app_name"
android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
<activity
android:name="com.example.clipboardactivity.ClipboardActivity"
android:label="@string/app_name" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<activity android:name="com.example.clipboardactivity.ClipdataIntentActivity"
android:label="@string/title_activity_clipdataintent" >
</activity>
<activity android:name="com.example.clipboardactivity.HtmlIntentActivity"
android:label="@string/title_activity_htmlintent" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<!-- This activity will get launched when proper intent type will match
in this case "text/html" -->
<data android:mimeType="text/html" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
</application>

</manifest>

8.) Create and write following into src/Utility.java:

package com.example.clipboardactivity;

import android.content.Context;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class Utility {

public static void showToastMessage(Context context, String message, int duration){
Toast.makeText(context, message, duration).show();
}
}

9.) Create and write following into src/HtmlIntentActivity.java:

package com.example.clipboardactivity;

import com.example.clipboardactivity.R;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.EditText;

public class HtmlIntentActivity extends Activity {

private EditText etHtml;
private EditText etText;
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_htmlintent);
etHtml = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etHtml);
etText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etText);

//Get the intent that started this activity
Intent intent = getIntent();
if (intent != null && intent.getType() != null
&& intent.getType().equals("text/html")) {
//This contition will full-fill when this application receive the
//intent who's type is "test/html". In this application sendHtmlIntent
//method sends this type of Intent.
Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
if(bundle != null){
etHtml.setText(bundle.getCharSequence(Intent.EXTRA_HTML_TEXT));
etText.setText(bundle.getCharSequence(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT));
}
}
}
}

10.) Create and write following into src/ClipdataIntentActivity.java:

package com.example.clipboardactivity;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.ClipboardManager;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.content.ClipData;
import android.content.ClipDescription;

import com.example.clipboardactivity.R;

public class ClipdataIntentActivity extends Activity {
private EditText etHtml;
private EditText etText;
ClipboardManager mClipboard;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_clipdataintent);
etHtml = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etClipBoardHtml);
etText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etClipBoardText);

//Get the intent that started this activity
Intent intent = getIntent();
if (intent != null) {
ClipData clipdata = intent.getClipData();

if (clipdata != null
&& clipdata.getDescription().hasMimeType(
ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_HTML)) {

ClipData.Item item = clipdata.getItemAt(0);

etHtml.setText(item.getHtmlText());
etText.setText(item.getText());
} else {
Utility.showToastMessage(this,
"Intent clipdata doesn't have HTML", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT);
}

}
}

}

11.) Run for output.

Steps:

1.) Create a project named ClipboardActivity and set the information as stated in the image.

Build Target: Android 4.0
Application Name: ClipboardActivity
Package Name: com. example. ClipboardActivity
Activity Name: ClipboardActivity
Min SDK Version: 4.0

2.) Open ClipboardActivity.java file and write following code there:

package com.example.clipboardactivity;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.ClipData;
import android.content.ClipDescription;
import android.content.ClipboardManager;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.text.Html;
import android.text.Spannable;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.RadioButton;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class ClipboardActivity extends Activity {

EditText etCopy;
EditText etPaste;
EditText etPasteCoerceText;
RadioButton rbText;
RadioButton rbHtml;
ClipboardManager mClipboard;

ClipboardManager.OnPrimaryClipChangedListener mPrimaryChangeListener = new ClipboardManager.OnPrimaryClipChangedListener() {
/**
* This method is a callback. It get called when the primary clip
* on the clipboard changes.
*/
public void onPrimaryClipChanged() {
//Toast message will appear whenever the clipboad
//primary data changes.
Utility.showToastMessage(getApplicationContext(),
"Primary clipdata changed", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT);
}
};

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
etCopy = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etCopy);
etPaste = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etPaste);
etPasteCoerceText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etPasteCoerceText);
etCopy.setText(Html.fromHtml(getString(R.string.tvHtml)));
rbText = (RadioButton) findViewById(R.id.rbText);
rbHtml = (RadioButton) findViewById(R.id.rbHtml);

mClipboard = (ClipboardManager) getSystemService(Context.CLIPBOARD_SERVICE);
mClipboard.addPrimaryClipChangedListener(mPrimaryChangeListener);
}

/**
* This method gets called when "Copy" button get pressed.
* @param view
*/
public void copyHtml(View view) {
String htmlText = getHtmltxt(etCopy);
String plainText = getOnlyText(etCopy);

mClipboard.setPrimaryClip(ClipData.newHtmlText("HTML Text", plainText,
htmlText));

}
/**
* This method gets called when "Paste" button get pressed.
* @param view
*/
public void pasteHtml(View view) {
// Check if there is primary clip exsiting.
// If it does then echeck the mime type to make sure
// it has HTML content.
if (mClipboard.hasPrimaryClip()
&& mClipboard.getPrimaryClipDescription().hasMimeType(
ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_HTML)) {
// Get the very first item from the clip.
ClipData.Item item = mClipboard.getPrimaryClip().getItemAt(0);

// If "Paste HTML" radio button is selected then paste
// HTML in the Textview.
if (rbHtml.isChecked()) {
etPaste.setText(item.getHtmlText());
} else {
// Paste the only text version.
etPaste.setText(item.getText());
}
// Paste the CoerceText .
etPasteCoerceText.setText(item.coerceToText(this));
}
}
/**
* This method gets called when "send Html Intent" button get pressed.
* @param view
*/
public void sendHtmlIntent(View view) {
// This kind of intent can be handle by this application
// Or other application which handle text/html type Intent
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);

String htmlText = getHtmltxt(etCopy);
String text = getOnlyText(etCopy);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_HTML_TEXT, htmlText);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, text);
intent.setType("text/html");
startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, null));
}

/**
* This method gets called when "send Clipdata Intent" button get pressed.
*
* @param view
*/
public void sendClipdataIntent(View view) {
String htmlText = getHtmltxt(etCopy);
String plainText = getOnlyText(etCopy);
Intent intent = new Intent(this, ClipdataIntentActivity.class);
intent.setClipData(ClipData.newHtmlText(
"HTML text in Intent's clipdata", plainText, htmlText));
startActivity(intent);
}
@Override
protected void onDestroy() {
super.onDestroy();
//Remove the ClipChanged Listener to save the resources.
mClipboard.removePrimaryClipChangedListener(mPrimaryChangeListener);
}
/**
* This method get the EditText object and returns the HTML text. This
* method can only be run with those EditText which has spannable set and
* contains the HTML text.
*
* @param editText
* @return
*/
private String getHtmltxt(EditText editText) {
Spannable spannable = (Spannable) editText.getText();
return Html.toHtml(spannable);
}

/**
* This method takes the EditText object which has spannable object with HTML
* text and returns the only text.
*
* @param editText
* @return
*/
private String getOnlyText(EditText editText) {
return editText.getText().toString();
}
}

3.) Compile and build the project.

Output