DataFormats Class

 

Provides static, predefined Clipboard format names. Use them to identify the format of data that you store in an IDataObject.

Namespace:   System.Windows.Forms
Assembly:  System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)

System::Object
  System.Windows.Forms::DataFormats

public ref class DataFormats 

NameDescription
System_CAPS_pubmethodEquals(Object^)

Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.(Inherited from Object.)

System_CAPS_protmethodFinalize()

Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection.(Inherited from Object.)

System_CAPS_pubmethodSystem_CAPS_staticGetFormat(Int32)

Returns a DataFormats::Format with the Windows Clipboard numeric ID and name for the specified ID.

System_CAPS_pubmethodSystem_CAPS_staticGetFormat(String^)

Returns a DataFormats::Format with the Windows Clipboard numeric ID and name for the specified format.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetHashCode()

Serves as the default hash function. (Inherited from Object.)

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.(Inherited from Object.)

System_CAPS_protmethodMemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.(Inherited from Object.)

System_CAPS_pubmethodToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.(Inherited from Object.)

NameDescription
System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticBitmap

Specifies a Windows bitmap format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticCommaSeparatedValue

Specifies a comma-separated value (CSV) format, which is a common interchange format used by spreadsheets. This format is not used directly by Windows Forms. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticDib

Specifies the Windows device-independent bitmap (DIB) format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticDif

Specifies the Windows Data Interchange Format (DIF), which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticEnhancedMetafile

Specifies the Windows enhanced metafile format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticFileDrop

Specifies the Windows file drop format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticHtml

Specifies text in the HTML Clipboard format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticLocale

Specifies the Windows culture format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticMetafilePict

Specifies the Windows metafile format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticOemText

Specifies the standard Windows original equipment manufacturer (OEM) text format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticPalette

Specifies the Windows palette format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticPenData

Specifies the Windows pen data format, which consists of pen strokes for handwriting software; Windows Forms does not use this format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticRiff

Specifies the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) audio format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticRtf

Specifies text consisting of Rich Text Format (RTF) data. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticSerializable

Specifies a format that encapsulates any type of Windows Forms object. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticStringFormat

Specifies the Windows Forms string class format, which Windows Forms uses to store string objects. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticSymbolicLink

Specifies the Windows symbolic link format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticText

Specifies the standard ANSI text format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticTiff

Specifies the Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticUnicodeText

Specifies the standard Windows Unicode text format. This static field is read-only.

System_CAPS_pubfieldSystem_CAPS_staticWaveAudio

Specifies the wave audio format, which Windows Forms does not directly use. This static field is read-only.

The IDataObject and DataObject classes also use the static format list to determine the type of data that is retrieved from the system Clipboard, or that is transferred in a drag-and-drop operation.

The GetFormat method allows you to:

  • Get a predefined DataFormats::Format object for a format name or ID number.

  • Add a new format name/ID number pair to the static list in this class, and to register the format with the Windows registry as a Clipboard format when you pass it the format name.

You can get the Id number or format Name from the appropriate property in the DataFormats::Format instance.

The following code example creates a new data format named myFormat. The code then creates a MyNewObject which it stores in a DataObject. The DataObject is copied to the Clipboard.

Next, the DataObject is retrieved from the Clipboard and the MyNewObject is recovered. The value of the MyNewObject is printed in a text box. This code requires that textBox1 has been created and placed on a form.

#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;

// Creates a new type.

[Serializable]
public ref class MyNewObject: public Object
{
private:
   String^ myValue;

public:

   // Creates a default constructor for the class.
   MyNewObject()
   {
      myValue = "This is the value of the class";
   }


   property String^ MyObjectValue 
   {

      // Creates a property to retrieve or set the value.
      String^ get()
      {
         return myValue;
      }

      void set( String^ value )
      {
         myValue = value;
      }

   }

};

public ref class MyClass: public Form
{
protected:
   TextBox^ textBox1;

public:
   void MyClipboardMethod()
   {

      // Creates a new data format.
      DataFormats::Format^ myFormat = DataFormats::GetFormat( "myFormat" );

      /* Creates a new object and stores it in a DataObject using myFormat 
               * as the type of format. */
      MyNewObject^ myObject = gcnew MyNewObject;
      DataObject^ myDataObject = gcnew DataObject( myFormat->Name,myObject );

      // Copies myObject into the clipboard.
      Clipboard::SetDataObject( myDataObject );

      // Performs some processing steps.
      // Retrieves the data from the clipboard.
      IDataObject^ myRetrievedObject = Clipboard::GetDataObject();

      // Converts the IDataObject type to MyNewObject type. 
      MyNewObject^ myDereferencedObject = dynamic_cast<MyNewObject^>(myRetrievedObject->GetData( myFormat->Name ));

      // Prints the value of the Object in a textBox.
      textBox1->Text = myDereferencedObject->MyObjectValue;
   }

};

.NET Framework
Available since 1.1

Any public static ( Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

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