Getting "??" when pasting from a TextBox

[harveya915]

I have a few text boxes (4). The contents of those text boxes get copied over to a 5th text box. Then I have a CommandButton that when clicked will copy the contents (to the clipboard), but when I try to paste it to another program all I get is "??". From another thread I learned that it's because I'm copying unicode characters. Here's what I have:

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()

Dim dataObj As MSForms.DataObject
    Set dataObj = New MSForms.DataObject
  
    With dataObj
        .SetText TextBox5.Value
        .PutInClipboard
    End With

 

[Dan_W]

My understanding is that this is a bug that has to do with Windows Explorer. According to MVP Rory Archibald (User handle: RoryA on this forum), it started in Windows 8 has continued through to Windows 10 (link). It occurs regardless of whether you're copying unicode characters or not - it happened to me this even when I was testing a routine to clear the dataobject clipboard (I ended up having to use an API instead).

I once read that it will be resolved if you happen to close down all the open explorer windows (I think, by extension, you should also close any Internet Explorer windows) - I remember trying it a few times, and it working on each occasion.

As alternatives, you can use APIs to copy to / paste from the clipboard. Or, for the 'cheap-and-nasty' option, there are these three functions:

Sub SetClipBoardText(ByVal Text As Variant)
    On Error Resume Next
    CreateObject("htmlfile").ParentWindow.ClipboardData.SetData "Text", Text
End Sub
Function GetClipBoardText() As String
    On Error Resume Next
    GetClipBoardText = CreateObject("htmlfile").ParentWindow.ClipboardData.GetData("Text")
End Function
Sub ClearClipBoardText()
    On Error Resume Next
    CreateObject("htmlfile").ParentWindow.ClipboardData.clearData "Text"
End Sub

I say 'cheap-and-nasty' because it's a bit inefficient and slow and not really what they were designed for - but I just really love one-line procedures! I can get you the API equivalents, though, if you'd prefer.

So in the context of your code:

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()
SetClipBoardText TextBox5.Value

Dim GetMyText As String
GetMyText = GetClipBoardText
MsgBox GetMyText
End Sub

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

If you want more information on both the above and the API version you can find it here:-
How To Use VBA Code To Copy Text To The Clipboard — TheSpreadsheetGuru

 

[Jaafar Tribak]

Interesting. I have personally never experienced this problem before not in Windows7 x32bit not now in Windows 10 Pro x64bit build 19043.1889.
Even when I have file explorer windows open, the msforms dataobject seems consistent and works fine.

I was first made aware of this bug by Jon Peltier the other day

 

[Dan_W]

Interesting. I have personally never experienced this problem before not in Windows7 x32bit not now in Windows 10 Pro x64bit build 19043.1889.
Even when I have file explorer windows open, the msforms dataobject seems consistent and works fine.

I was first made aware of this bug by Jon Peltier the other

It doesn't happen to me all the time, but it does on occasion. No idea what this bug is though.