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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 :).

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  • 1
    I know it's kind of specific, but GVIM for Windows actually inserts the content of the normal clipboard when middle-clicked. I would really like more optional productivity features in Windows like the one you're asking for.
    – Mitja
    Apr 10, 2017 at 9:24

4 Answers 4

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

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  • Here I can use the expression it worked like charm!
    – user10089632
    Feb 16, 2018 at 10:03
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    It is unbelievable how this works fine after so many years
    – insign
    Sep 13, 2019 at 1:41
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    Works under Win 10, it uses the main clipboard, but : you need to select all the way, a double-click on a word to select it won't copy it ; it kills middle-click to open in a new tab ; it pastes in the textbox which has the focus, not the one under your cursor (you need an extra click to give focus).
    – lolesque
    Dec 3, 2020 at 21:19
  • double and triple click highlighting don't seem to work
    – Harley
    Sep 10, 2022 at 4:49
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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.

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  • This works great, especially if you only want copy on select. True X-Mouse Gizmo will make the middle click useless which is pretty annoying if you used to open new tab with middle click.
    – Terry Shi
    Jan 31, 2011 at 3:14
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    the script has been updated later on: autohotkey.com/forum/…
    – Tobias Kienzler
    Nov 16, 2011 at 11:40
  • Autohotkey is an awesome tool. Thanks for suggesting this.
    – Jus12
    May 30, 2015 at 19:47
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    However good the mouse dragging idea sounds, I prefer just double-clicking the word to copy it. The reason I started looking for this sort of 'highlight-copy-paste' solution is that addons and extensions make my browser slower. So, I decided to find a desktop app. The Autocopy 2 on Firefox works exactly as I like: 1) double click the word and it gets automatically copied. 2) ctrl+v OR RMouse button + Paste. The solution with Autohotkey and the script seems good, however after that simple functionality in Firefox I understood what simple and easy means. Maybe, somebody could rewrite it?
    – Sergey Larin
    Sep 19, 2017 at 17:03
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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.

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-3 
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
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    Welcome to Super User! Generally, answers are much more helpful if they include an explanation of what the code is intended to do, and why that solves the problem without introducing others.
    – MMM
    Feb 14, 2020 at 15:00

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