macOS-clipboard-buffer

Script works like Windows Clipboard Windows + V

Clipboard Buffer Script - User Guide

Overview

clipboard_buffer.sh is a script that saves and manages a history of copied clipboard contents on macOS. It allows users to retain multiple clipboard entries and retrieve them as needed.

Features

• Automatic Clipboard History: Stores multiple copied items.
• Persistent Storage: Optionally save clipboard history even after a restart.
• Command-Line Access: Retrieve, list, or clear clipboard history using terminal commands.
• Lightweight & Fast: Runs efficiently in the background.

Installation

1. Download or create the script:

   curl -o ~/clipboard_buffer.sh https://your-repository-url/clipboard_buffer.sh

   OR manually create clipboard_buffer.sh in your desired directory.

2. Make the script executable:

   chmod +x ~/clipboard_buffer.sh

3. Move it to a system-wide accessible location (optional):

   sudo mv ~/clipboard_buffer.sh /usr/local/bin/clipboard_buffer

Usage

1. Start the Clipboard Buffer

Run the script in the background:

./clipboard_buffer.sh &

Or if moved to /usr/local/bin:

clipboard_buffer &

2. Retrieve Clipboard History

To display all saved clipboard entries:

cat ~/.clipboard_history

3. Restore a Previous Clipboard Entry

Use pbcopy to restore a previous clipboard entry:

tail -n 5 ~/.clipboard_history | fzf | pbcopy

(Requires fzf for interactive selection)

4. Clear Clipboard History

> ~/.clipboard_history

5. Auto-Run on Login (Optional)

To keep the script running after system restart, set up a LaunchAgent:

1. Create a .plist file:

   mkdir -p ~/Library/LaunchAgents
   nano ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.clipboard_buffer.plist

2. Add the following content:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
     <dict>
       <key>Label</key>
       <string>com.user.clipboard_buffer</string>
       <key>ProgramArguments</key>
       <array>
         <string>/usr/local/bin/clipboard_buffer</string>
       </array>
       <key>RunAtLoad</key>
       <true/>
       <key>KeepAlive</key>
       <true/>
     </dict>
   </plist>

3. Load the LaunchAgent:

   launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.clipboard_buffer.plist

Uninstallation

To remove the script and its history:

rm -f ~/.clipboard_history ~/clipboard_buffer.sh

If using LaunchAgent, unload it:

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.clipboard_buffer.plist
rm -f ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.clipboard_buffer.plist

Troubleshooting

• Script stops after sleep? Use LaunchAgent or rerun clipboard_buffer.sh &.
• Not capturing clipboard? Ensure pbpaste and pbcopy work correctly.
• Permission issues? Run chmod +x clipboard_buffer.sh.

License

MIT License. Feel free to modify and distribute.

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For updates and improvements, contribute at GitHub Repository.