"Select to Copy and Middle Click to Paste" in Windows

Question

Is there any application to mimic the "Select to Copy and Middle Click to Paste" behaviour in Windows? I was hoping to find an AutoHotkey script for this, but I couldn't. Maybe someone here could quickly hack one for this :).

Answer 1

Well, there's the True X-Mouse Gizmo, if that works in your Windows version (it's a bit dated).

Answer 2

If you're looking for an AutoHotkey script, this one should probably do!

Here's an implementation for copy on select. You can simply select some text and it is copied immediately without having to press ctrl+c.

Conveinent middle button paste is also provided, but with a twist. Middlebutton is useful in browsers, so there is a short time (configurable) while you can paste with the middle button after copy, before original middleclick functionality is restored.

Also, if you click with the right button it cancels middlebutton paste.

Since after selection you usually click with the left button to the place where you want to paste, so that you put the focus there, it is done automatically when using middlebutton pasting.

clipx integration is also added to Ctrl+middlebutton.

I've been using the script for a few days and it's quite convenient. Sometimes the copy tooltip appears unwantedly when something is dragged, but it doesn't cause any problems.

Answer 3

Check out AutoClipX.

AutoClipX is a highly configurable program that automatically copies selected objects to the Windows clipboard like text, files and folders. Quickly paste what you have copied by clicking a mouse button! AutoClipX runs quietly in the system tray while you work as usual.

Answer 4

Shallow copy on selection and shallow paste on middle click in Windows 11 (AutoHotkey script):

cos_mousedrag_treshold := 20 ; pixels
cos_copied_text := ""

#IfWinNotActive ahk_class ConsoleWindowClass

~lButton::
  MouseGetPos, cos_mousedrag_x, cos_mousedrag_y
  keywait lbutton
  mousegetpos, cos_mousedrag_x2, cos_mousedrag_y2
  if (abs(cos_mousedrag_x2 - cos_mousedrag_x) > cos_mousedrag_treshold
    or abs(cos_mousedrag_y2 - cos_mousedrag_y) > cos_mousedrag_treshold)
  {
    wingetclass cos_class, A
    if (cos_class == "Emacs")
      sendinput !w
    else {
      previous_clipboard := clipboard
      sendinput ^c
      sleep 50 ; wait for copied text to be stored in clipboard
      cos_copied_text := clipboard
      clipboard := previous_clipboard
    }
  }
  return

~mbutton::
  WinGetClass cos_class, A
  if (cos_class == "Emacs")
    SendInput ^y
  else {
    previous_clipboard := clipboard
    clipboard := cos_copied_text ; copy stored text to clipboard
    SendInput ^v
    sleep 50 ; I'm not sure if this is necessary
    clipboard := previous_clipboard
  }
  return

#IfWinNotActive

;; clipx
^mbutton::
  sendinput ^+{insert}
  return

This is a modified version of @Snark's answer, which in turn is taken from an anonymous post.

To use this AutoHotkey script, you need to have AutoHotkey installed on your computer. Once you've installed AutoHotkey, save this script as a .ahk file and then double-click the file to run it. The script will run in the background, you can see its icon on the right side of the taskbar.

Answer 5

SetWinDelay,2
CoordMode,Mouse
return

~MButton::
sleep 100
    Send, ^v
return
~LButton:: 

MouseGetPos x0, y0
   Loop
   {
     Sleep 20
     GetKeyState keystate, LButton
     IfEqual keystate, U, {
       MouseGetPos x, y
       break
     }
   }
   if (x-x0 > 5 or x-x0 < -5 or y-y0 > 5 or y-y0 < -5)
   {                             
      Send ^c
   }


 if (A_PriorHotKey = A_ThisHotKey and A_TimeSincePriorHotkey < DllCall("GetDoubleClickTime"))            
      Send ^c

 if (A_PriorHotKey = A_ThisHotKey and A_TimeSincePriorHotkey < DllCall("GetDoubleClickTime"))
 doubleclick := true

return

#If doubleclick
  ~LButton::
  doubleclick := false
  if (A_PriorHotKey = A_ThisHotKey and A_TimeSincePriorHotkey < DllCall("GetDoubleClickTime"))
  {
      Send, ^c
  }
  return