Clipboard Diagnostics

Options and Configuration > Tools Menu > Clipboard Diagnostics

This dialog box gives useful information when troubleshooting problems such as when ClipMate fails to capture new data, or when PowerPaste seems to "go crazy".  Since ClipMate 6 can automatically detect and repair broken clipboard connections, this dialog is not as important as it was in previous versions.  But it may still be useful, so we left it in.

General Tab

This tab has many boring, boring, setting that are useful only to tech support.  A couple of mildly interesting ones are:

Application That Last Updated Clipboard

Shows which application has most recently updated the Clipboard.  This can be useful when trying to determine where a particular update is coming from.

Formats Currently On The Clipboard.

This is a list of formats that are presently available on the Clipboard.

Connection Tab

ClipMate relies on "clipboard event notifications" to detect new data being copied to the clipboard.  Usually, this works just fine.  But sometimes a mis-behaving application will interfere with the notification, and ClipMate won't be properly notified of new data.  So that's why we need the tools on this screen.

Applications in the Clipboard Chain

These fields show the name of the applications (if they can be determined) of the first application in the viewer chain, and the one immediately following ClipMate.  In case ClipMate has been recently cut-off from communication, this information, especially the "First Application", may be valuable in determining which application may have severed the connection.

Note that whenever an application registers itself to use the Clipboard chain, it is placed in the first position.

If the "Next Application" shows "ClipMate", then there is a serious problem, likely a "loop" in the chain.  You'll need to re-start ClipMate to cure this.

Beep On Clipboard Update

This is a diagnostic aid that causes a beep to sound when ClipMate detects a Clipboard update - this includes ClipMate's own Pings.  It also includes Clipboard erasures.

It is useful if you're trying to detect ping failures, as it gives an audible "ping, ping, ping" to let you know of ping successes.

It is also very useful in detecting when applications cause multiple Clipboard updates, as they're copying data.  Ideally, when an application copies to the Clipboard, they're only causing one update - but if they are causing multiple "hits", this will let you know.

As useful as this is, it becomes annoying quickly if you're not troubleshooting - so we don't save this setting from session to session.

Ping Clipboard Now

Causes an immediate ping, displaying the results.  It should return an "OK" message, listing a short time interval (0ms-100ms is normal). If it times out, then the connection is likely broken.

Re-Establish Clipboard Connection

This will remove ClipMate from the Clipboard chain at its current position, and re-insert it at the front of the chain.  This will virtually guarantee that ClipMate will again be communicating with the Clipboard, but it doesn't guarantee that other applications may not have been severed, as well.

Enable KeepAlive

Keepalive is the automatic detection and correction of severed clipboard communication.  You'll be notified of the event by a notice in the status bar.  It usually works fine, but if you find that you have a "loop", where the same clip is being copied hundreds of times, the you may need to turn this feature off.  Contact Support for further advice.