Using the Clipboard

The clipboard is a temporary store that enables the easy exchange of data (text, model elements, and diagram graphics) between models or programs.

Familiarizing Yourself with the Clipboard

The clipboard is a temporary store that enables the easy exchange of data (text, images and other objects) between programs in a two-part operation.

Copy selected data from the original location to the clipboard using the "Copy" or "Cut" function. This data is then inserted from the clipboard into a document of another program using the "Paste" function.

Data that was copied to the clipboard normally exists there in multiple formats. For example, a text can exist in the clipboard as plain text and in Rich Text Format. The source application saves all data formats known to it in the clipboard.

When you execute the "Paste" operation, the target application normally selects the data format that is most suitable for the current context. Many text processing programs as well as Innovator offer you the option of selecting the file format for the "Paste" operation yourself using corresponding commands.

For example, Innovator saves a selected model element with subelements as follows during a "Copy" operation:

Internal file format for pasting into an Innovator model
- Paste
  Insert the clipboard's elements as copies into the model. The buffered elements are pasted below the selected element. Copies of all elements that are nested within the copied model parts are pasted, too.
- Paste as Single Element
  Insert the clipboard's elements as copies into the model without copying their nested elements.
As the URI address of the element for a Paste operation as a hyperlink for the selected model element or as unformatted text in Office documents or in specification texts

The contents of the clipboard can be pasted multiple times to different places. The currently saved contents are overwritten only when the next "Copy" or "Cut" operation takes place.

The Hardcopy commands are active only in diagrams. They transfer the whole diagram or a section thereof to the clipboard to enable the insertion of the diagram graphic into other applications.

Effects of Clipboard Commands

Reusing or Moving Texts

You can use the Copy (Ctrl+C) and Cut (Ctrl+X) commands to place text into the clipboard and to insert it as text elsewhere. Existing formats are also copied and are reused in the appropriate place.

When text is cut out, it is directly inserted into the clipboard.

Reusing and Moving Model Elements

You can use the Copy (Ctrl+C) and Cut (Ctrl+X) commands to copy one or more selected elements to the clipboard. This copies the data formats listed above to the clipboard.

Note

Please note that the selection options in the Model Structure and in the Model Element List differ.

Use the Result Region to assemble elements for the selection as desired.

The copied elements can be pasted again into all Innovator models of the same type, so can also be pasted into another model of any repository.

In the model structure, subordinate elements are also copied to the clipboard. When you paste into the model structure, you can decide whether to paste just the selected element or all subordinate elements too. Any prerequisites that might prevent the "Paste" operation are checked. The elements are subordinated to the element selected for pasting.

In the case of a "Cut" operation, the selected elements are deleted from the source and thus moved only after a successful "Paste" operation.

Creating Hyperlinks to Any Number of Elements

Prerequisites

The Innovator protocol must be registered for the used Innovator version. You can register when you start Innovator. For more information, see the Start option.

Context

Note

Please note that the selection options in the diagrams differ in the Model Structure and in the Model Element List.

Use the Result Region to assemble elements for the selection as desired.

In Office applications and specification texts, you can paste the elements from the clipboard as a hyperlink for the selected model element or as plain text.

When you paste multiple hyperlinks, they are separated by commas.

Internal model hyperlinks are automatically displayed in green in specification texts; external model hyperlinks are displayed in blue, as is usual. Hyperlinks to model elements that have since been deleted are displayed with a strikethrough.

Tip

You can paste a hyperlink into a Windows shortcut as an address and e.g. save it to your favorites in order to quickly access model elements.

Double-clicking on a hyperlink jumps to the target in Innovator as long as the model is on a running server you can access. If you have copied a diagram element to the clipboard, the corresponding diagram is opened and the element is selected in the diagram in question.