Clipboard --desktop shortcut clear clipboard, win xp pro

**mipendance** · 2012-04-03 10:59

Hi -

Trying to create a desktop shortcut to clear contents of clipboard. I tried using

cmd /c “echo off | clip”

didn't work. Anything else I can try?

Thank you.

**BruceR** · 2012-04-03 11:21

Did you download clip.exe to your Windows folder as mentioned for XP in the final paragraph of this article?: Create a Shortcut or Hotkey to Clear the Clipboard in Windows

Bruce

**Paul T** · 2012-04-03 11:24

clip.exe is a Vista / 7 command, not XP.
Don't know of a command line program for XP.

cheers, Paul

**mipendance** · 2012-04-03 11:45

Thanks, Bruce. I tried that. In Windows the download appears as 'Clip' I ran it, nothing - clipboard still have entries. I then sent it to Desktop, entered %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll in Start Target shows C:\WINDOWS\CLIP.EXE

Nothing cleared. I obviously don't know how to proceed....................

**BruceR** · 2012-04-03 13:57

This works for me in XP (mode in Virtual PC) after downloading clip.exe:

Put clip.exe in C:\Windows\system32 (just easier to have it in the same place as cmd.exe).

Make shortcut target C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /c echo off | clip (no quotes). I don't think Start in matters.

%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll is only for a different icon if you wish. After "Change Icon", paste that in "Look for icons in this file" then hit enter to view icons for selection.

Bruce

**mipendance** · 2012-04-03 15:37

Bruce - after I downloaded the file clip.exe and moved it from desktop to system32 (it appears as CLIP...application, 6 KB). I created the desktop shortcut, pasted into Target C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /c echo off | clip

Start in is: C:\WINDOWS\system32.
I don't think this is deserving of more of your time. And, I wonder how much time would be gained over merely clicking Clear All on the Clipboard.............

I do thank you.

**BruceR** · 2012-04-03 23:49

Originally Posted by mipendance

Bruce - after I downloaded the file clip.exe and moved it from desktop to system32 (it appears as CLIP...application, 6 KB). I created the desktop shortcut, pasted into Target C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /c echo off | clip

... and? ...and? ... when you double-click the shortcut the clipboard is not cleared?

Oh well, you're probably right to forget a shortcut and live with a couple of extra clicks.

Bruce

**RetiredGeek** · 2012-04-04 08:20

Hi All,

This intrigued me so I played for a while. It seemed everyting I could do from the command window would leave some special character on the clipboard. Finally the lights went on and I tried this and it works, at least on my Win 7 64Bit SP-1 machine.
%systemroot%\system32\cmd.exe /c clip < d:\path\empty.txt
Where: empty.txt is a zero length text file created by opening notepad and just saving the empty file.

Hope it works for you.

**mipendance** · 2012-04-04 08:55

Correct- not cleared....

**mipendance** · 2012-04-04 09:02

Thank you for responding, RG. Since I have XP,32Bit,SP3, I will forgo attempting this. Appreciate your responding.

**Paul T** · 2012-04-07 02:27

To send an empty string to clip.exe you need a fullstop immediately after the echo. And you should always use the environment variable comspec to run the Command Prompt.
%comspec% /c echo. | clip

cheers, Paul

**RetiredGeek** · 2012-04-07 05:55

Paul,

I had tried that and just retried it with your command line {good point about using %comspec%} but Ctrl+v still pasted a crlf {blank line} into Notepad so the clipboard was not completely cleared.

**Paul T** · 2012-04-07 08:31

I think CRLF is effectively cleared. ;-))

BTW, none of this is of any use if you have a key logger on your machine.

cheers, Paul

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