Named clipboards not functioning as expected

I have set up five macros to copy text to named clipboards 1111 2222 3333 4444 5555. These function fine, and I can see from the Clipboards pane in Preferences that the relevant text has been copied across.
I have a further five macros to paste these named clipboards. However, each time I use the relevant hot key to trigger these macros, the system clipboard is pasted rather than the named clipboard. (Using Version 8.0.3)
Anybody else had this problem? Anybody know a workaround?

I've rebuilt two macros according to your description, and they seem to work as expected:

Named Clipboard Test Macros.kmmacros (3.6 KB)

It would be a good idea to upload your macros — or a minimal working example that shows the problem. Your macros may contain stuff that is not covered in your description.

Thank you for taking the trouble to respond.
The macros I have written are exactly as you have shown, Tom.
After further testing, it seems to be a problem with Microsoft Word.
The five macros work perfectly in Powerpoint, Excel, TextEdit, Messages and Pages, but in Word, each macro pastes the system clipboard.

Yep, I can confirm this. In MS-Word (15.39) the system clipboard gets pasted instead of the named clipboard. Interesting.

Maybe @peternlewis (the dev) has an idea why this is so and/or he knows a workaround.

I've seen this come up from time to time, but not specific to KM8.

Since the Paste from Named Clipboard actually goes through the System Clipboard anyway, what usually do is Copy Named clipboard to System Clipboard, then do a Paste. This seems to clear things up.

Yes, IIRC, MS-Word has its own clipboard thingy. This would explain some quirks. Though, I thought Excel and Powerpoint were doing the same thing (like MS-Word). — ? —

Still not working.
In a Word document, I have selected and copied the word ‘clipboard’.
In named clipboard 1111 are the words 'Band 1’
Macro step 1: copy named clipboard 1111 to system clipboard
Macro step 2: paste
Results in the word ‘clipboard’ being pasted into the Word document. (Has desired effect in PowerPoint and Excel)
Yet, Macro step 3: Display System Clipboard displays 'Band 1’
Word continues to do bizarre things.

Maybe throw in some slight pauses? Just an untested idea.

Bizarre things are also happening with Clipboard History Switcher in Microsoft Word. Sometimes the selected clipboard pastes. At others a previous clipboard pastes. (Using High Sierra 10.13.1 Beta and latest insider slow update of Microsoft Word)

I think this is definitely due to MS-Word’s clipboard handling. As said, just wondering why this doesn’t happen in Excel or Powerpoint.

I think you like to live dangerously. :wink:

Running MIcrosoft Word 14.7.2 (14.7.2) (Office 2011 Mac) and Keyboard Maestro 8.0.3 (8.0.3) on macOS 10.11.6,
this macro/action was successful:

So I'm guessing that it is an issue with the macOS beta and/or the Word version you are running.

I thought/think that Office 2011 is no more supported on the current system (10.13).

Microsoft Article.

Actually, all that article says is that Microsoft has not tested Office 2011, and it is not supported, on High Sierra:

Office for Mac 2011

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Lync have not been tested on macOS 10.13 High Sierra, and no formal support for this configuration will be provided.

All applications in the Office for Mac 2011 suite* are reaching end of support on October 10th, 2017. As a reminder, after that date there will be no new security updates, non-security updates, free or paid assisted support options or technical content updates. Refer to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle for more information.

I have read elsewhere that Office 2011 will still run on High Sierra, and some have even recommended having a dual install of Office 2016 and Office 2011, because Office 2016 has removed some features that are in 2011.

I can't verify or refute use of Office 2011 on High Sierra, since I am NOT running High Sierra, and don't plan to do so for at least 3-6 months and 10.13.1 is released and verified by real users that I trust. :wink:

I checked and had no problem with Word 15.39 on Sierra.

No idea about High Sierra, I wouldn’t touch that yes with a barge pole.

Paste from Named Clipboard is basically just

  • Set System Clipboard to Named Clipboard
  • Command-V.

If Word is pasting the wrong thing, then it is probably caching the clipboard. You can see the wiki Troubleshooting article Sometimes the Wrong Thing is Pasted for suggestions on how to work around this.

If it is not High Sierra that is the issue, then it may be that you have something else messing around with your clipboard on your Mac, or you have some variation on your Word preferences on how it deals with the clipboard.

A post was merged into an existing topic: macOS 10.13 High Sierra wiki