Possible to refer to clipboard history item in a workflow?

[kontiainen]

I could not find answer to this question, apologies if it is obvious:

 

Is it possible in a workflow to refer to individual clipboard history item somehow? Like {clipboard-1}, or something?

 

I'd need to compose a workflow where I would combine several items in the history together. This would save me a lot of time. 

[raguay.customct]

In Alfred alone, no. You can if you install CopyQ and use it's script interface to be past clipboard entries. Works pretty good, but I have found times when CopyQ doesn't catch a new clipboard item. You can get it here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/copyq/

[kontiainen]

Does CopyQ replace Alfred's clipboard history functionality? 

 

Anyway, I'd like to use only one piece of sw.

 

Is it possible (or how) to propose this kind of functionality to Alfred?

[raguay.customct]

No. It supplements it. Alfred currently doesn't have any way to get to the clipboard history from any type of script, environment variable, etc. Therefore, if you need that kind of information you will have to have a supplementary piece of software to fill in the gap. I use Keyboard Maestro for that functionality, but CopyQ is free.

 

I have asked for it in the "Alfred Feature Suggestions" forum. 

[kontiainen]

Nice!

 

I have Keyboard Maestro, but feel pretty novice using it.

 

Do you happen to have some good KM examples about clipboard history usage?

[raguay.customct]

I'm sorry. I thought I was using clipboard history, but I have <ctrl-c> tied to seven macros that copy into named clipboards and <ctrl-v> to seven macros that paste from the same named clipboards. Then I use these named clipboards in other scripts to build up text expansions using the named clipboards. So, it simulates a clipboard history, but doesn't really do it.

 

The only action for clipboard history is the "Set Clipboard to Past Clipboard x" where x is 1,2,3,.... Then paste from the clipboard. Therefore, you can make a macro that:

 

Insert text "this is clipboard 1: " by typing

Set Clipboard to Past Clipboard 1

Paste

Insert text "This is clipboard 2: " by typing

Set Clipboard to Past Clipboard 2

Paste

 

You would have to use the "Insert Text by typing" to not mess up the clipboard order. But remember, the "Set Clipboard to Past Clipboard 2" made the current clipboard to the second paste clipboard and removed that one from history, but what was the current clipboard is now the Past Clipboard 1. This does get confusing some.

[kontiainen]

Thank you for a thorough explanation! Although, I have to admit that it does get a bit too confusing.

 

So, I guess I'll will wait for Alfred developers to (maybe) include the proposed feature to the product - and continue manually copying and pasting 'til that