CLI Clipboard Copy

ed clipboard copy

Puts one entry back on the pasteboard, the same as clicking it in the panel.

ed clipboard copy <index> [--plain] [--json]

Name	Type / values	Default	What it does
<index>	integer, from 1	required	The entry number, counting from 1.
--plain	flag	off	Copy as plain text even when the entry is styled.
--json	flag	off	Emit JSON on stdout.

--json is the entry object exactly as ls emits it, with no extra keys. It reports the entry as it was before the copy, so copiedAt is the previous copy time rather than this one.

The whole pasteboard is replaced: clearContents first, then the entry's own type. Rich text and HTML are written twice, once in their own type and once as a plain string, so an app that only understands text still gets something. A copied file goes back as a file URL, and a list of files goes back as a list of them, which is why pasting one into Finder works; a copied web link goes back as both a URL and a string. --plain only bites on a text, rich text or HTML entry; on an image or a file it is quietly ignored and the real type is written.

Two side effects come with it. The entry's lastCopiedAt is bumped, so it moves to the top of the list and everything that was above it shifts down by one. And the pasteboard is stamped with a private com.pulkit.edith.clipboard.own type, which is how the app's watcher knows this came from Edith and does not file it as a fresh entry.

Examples:

ed clipboard copy 1
ed clipboard copy 4 --plain
ed clipboard copy 2 --json

$ ed clipboard copy 4
copied entry 4

An entry whose blob has gone missing under the index exits 3 with the stored copy of that entry is gone, and nothing reaches the pasteboard.

Where to go next

• ed clipboard, the rest of this group
• All ed commands