# Paste Special: The Easy Way to Implement

> TX Text Control version 15.0 introduced a ClipboardFormat parameter on the Paste method, enabling native Paste Special functionality. The GetClipboardFormats method returns all available clipboard formats, including HTMLFormat, PlainText, RichTextFormat, and TXTextControlFormat.

- **Author:** Bjoern Meyer
- **Published:** 2009-09-07
- **Modified:** 2026-03-05
- **Description:** TX Text Control version 15.0 introduced a ClipboardFormat parameter on the Paste method, enabling native Paste Special functionality. The GetClipboardFormats method returns all available clipboard formats, including HTMLFormat, PlainText, RichTextFormat, and TXTextControlFormat.
- **2 min read** (206 words)
- **Tags:**
  - .NET
  - Sample
- **Web URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2009/09/07/paste-special-the-easy-way-to-implement/
- **LLMs URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2009/09/07/paste-special-the-easy-way-to-implement/llms.txt
- **LLMs-Full URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2009/09/07/paste-special-the-easy-way-to-implement/llms-full.txt

---

In an [older sample](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2008/07/10/new-sample-implementing-a-paste-special-dialog-box/llms-full.txt), I showed how to implement a **paste special** functionality by accessing the clipboard directly using .NET functionality.

In version 15.0, we implemented this functionality directly into the [Paste](https://docs.textcontrol.com/textcontrol/windows-forms/ref.txtextcontrol.textcontrol.paste.method.htm) method. A new implementation of this method allows you to pass a [ClipboardFormat](https://docs.textcontrol.com/textcontrol/windows-forms/ref.txtextcontrol.clipboardformat.enumeration.htm) in the constructor.

```
public void Paste(ClipboardFormat format);
```

The available formats can be retrieved using the [GetClipboardFormats](https://docs.textcontrol.com/textcontrol/windows-forms/ref.txtextcontrol.textcontrol.getclipboardformats.method.htm) method. This method returns an array of the available formats. Possible values are:

- *HTMLFormat*
- *Image*
- *PlainText*
- *RichTextFormat*
- *TXTextControlFormat*
- *TXTextControlImage*
- *TXTextControlTextframe*

Consider a formatted text that has been copied into the clipboard in MS Word. The text will be available as RTF and plain text in the clipboard in this case. By using the following code, the formatted text will pasted into TX Text Control:

```
public void Paste(ClipboardFormat.RichTextFormat);
```

It might be required to paste only the text without any formatting. In this case, you can use the following code:

```
public void Paste(ClipboardFormat.PlainText);
```

---

## About Bjoern Meyer

As CEO, Bjoern is the visionary behind our strategic direction and business development, bridging the gap between our customers and engineering teams. His deep passion for coding and web technologies drives the creation of innovative products. If you're at a tech conference, be sure to stop by our booth - you'll most likely meet Bjoern in person. With an advanced graduate degree (Dipl. Inf.) in Computer Science, specializing in AI, from the University of Bremen, Bjoern brings significant expertise to his role. In his spare time, Bjoern enjoys running, paragliding, mountain biking, and playing the piano.

- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernmeyer/)
- [X](https://x.com/txbjoern)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/bjoerntx)

---

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