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:

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<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"

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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>

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3.) Write following into strings.xml:

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<?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:

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<?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" />

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<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:

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<?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>

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

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<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:

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<?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>

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</activity>
</application>
</manifest>

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

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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:

1 package com.example.clipboardactivity;
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3 import com.example.clipboardactivity.R;
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import android.app.Activity;
5 import android.content.Intent;
6 import android.os.Bundle;
7 import android.widget.EditText;
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9 public class HtmlIntentActivity extends Activity {
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private EditText etHtml;
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private EditText etText;
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@Override
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protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
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setContentView(R.layout.activity_htmlintent);
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etHtml = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etHtml);
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etText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.etText);
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//Get the intent that started this activity
Intent intent = getIntent();
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if (intent != null && intent.getType() != null
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&& intent.getType().equals("text/html")) {
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//This contition will full-fill when this application receive the
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//intent who's type is "test/html". In this application
1 sendHtmlIntent
//method sends this type of Intent.
7
Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
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if(bundle != null){

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2 }
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etHtml.setText(bundle.getCharSequence(Intent.EXTRA_HTML_TEXT)
etText.setText(bundle.getCharSequence(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT));
}

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

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package com.example.clipboardactivity;
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import

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

import com.example.clipboardactivity.R;

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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:

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package com.example.clipboardactivity;
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import
import

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

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* 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());

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} 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);
}

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/**
* 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

Tags: Clipboard Activity Android, Clipboard Activity Android programming, Clipboard Activity example
android, Clipboard Activity in Android, Clipboard Activity tutorials