onpaste Event

Fires on the target object when the user pastes data, transferring the data from the system clipboard to the document.

Syntax

Inline HTML <ELEMENT onpaste = "handler" ... > All platforms
Event property object.onpaste = handler JScript only
object.onpaste = GetRef("handler") Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) 5.0 or later only
Named script <SCRIPT FOR = object EVENT = onpaste> Internet Explorer only

Event Information

Bubbles Yes
Cancels Yes
To invoke After copying or cutting the text:
Right-click to display the shortcut menu and select Paste.
Or press CTRL+V.
Default action Inserts the data from the system clipboard into the specified location on the document.

Event Object Properties

Although event handlers in the DHTML Object Model do not receive parameters directly, a handler can query an event object for data.
Available Properties
altKey Sets or retrieves a value that indicates the state of the ALT key.
altLeft Sets or retrieves a value that indicates the state of the left ALT key.
cancelBubble Sets or retrieves whether the current event should bubble up the hierarchy of event handlers.
clientX Sets or retrieves the x-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the client area of the window, excluding window decorations and scroll bars.
clientY Sets or retrieves the y-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the client area of the window, excluding window decorations and scroll bars.
ctrlKey Sets or retrieves the state of the CTRL key.
ctrlLeft Sets or retrieves the state of the left CTRL key.
dataTransfer Provides access to predefined clipboard formats for use in drag-and-drop operations.
offsetX Sets or retrieves the x-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the object firing the event.
offsetY Sets or retrieves the y-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the object firing the event.
returnValue Sets or retrieves the return value from the event.
screenX Retrieves the x-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the user's screen.
screenY Sets or retrieves the y-coordinate of the mouse pointer's position relative to the user's screen.
shiftKey Sets or retrieves the state of the SHIFT key.
shiftLeft Retrieves the state of the left SHIFT key.
srcElement Sets or retrieves the object that fired the event.
type Sets or retrieves the event name from the event object.
x Sets or retrieves the x-coordinate, in pixels, of the mouse pointer's position relative to a relatively positioned parent element.
y Sets or retrieves the y-coordinate, in pixels, of the mouse pointer's position relative to a relatively positioned parent element.

Remarks

Creating custom code to enable the Paste command requires several steps.
Set the event object returnValue to false in the onbeforepaste event to enable the Paste shortcut menu item.
Cancel the default behavior of the browser by setting the event object returnValue to false in the onpaste event handler. This applies only to objects, such as the text box, that have a default behavior defined for them.
Specify a data format in which to paste the selection through the getData method of the clipboardData object.
Invoke the method in the onpaste event to execute custom paste code.

Example

This example uses the clipboardData object to implement custom editing functionality.

<HEAD>
<SCRIPT>
var sNewString = "new content associated with this object";
var sSave = "";
// Selects the text that is to be cut.
function fnLoad() {
var r = document.body.createTextRange();
r.findText(oSource.innerText);
r.select();
}
// Stores the text of the SPAN in a variable that is set
// to an empty string in the variable declaration above.
function fnBeforeCut() {
sSave = oSource.innerText;
event.returnValue = false;
}
// Associates the variable sNewString with the text being cut.
function fnCut() {
window.clipboardData.setData("Text", sNewString);
}
function fnBeforePaste() {
event.returnValue = false;
}
// The second parameter set in getData causes sNewString
// to be pasted into the text input. Passing no second
// parameter causes the SPAN text to be pasted instead.
function fnPaste() {
event.returnValue = false;
oTarget.value = window.clipboardData.getData("Text", sNewString);
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onload="fnLoad()">
<SPAN ID="oSource"
onbeforecut="fnBeforeCut()"
oncut="fnCut()">Cut this Text</SPAN>
<INPUT ID="oTarget" TYPE="text" VALUE="Paste the Text Here"
onbeforepaste="fnBeforePaste()"
onpaste="fnPaste()">
</BODY>

This feature requires Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5 or later. Click the following icon to install the latest version. Then reload this page to view the sample.

Standards Information

There is no public standard that applies to this event.

Applies To

A, ADDRESS, APPLET, AREA, B, BDO, BIG, BLOCKQUOTE, BODY, BUTTON, CAPTION, CENTER, CITE, CODE, CUSTOM, DD, DFN, DIR, DIV, DL, document, DT, EM, EMBED, FIELDSET, FONT, FORM, hn, HR, I, IMG, INPUT type=button, INPUT type=checkbox, INPUT type=file, INPUT type=image, INPUT type=password, INPUT type=radio, INPUT type=reset, INPUT type=submit, INPUT type=text, KBD, LABEL, LEGEND, LI, LISTING, MAP, MARQUEE, MENU, nextID, NOBR, OL, P, PLAINTEXT, PRE, RT, RUBY, S, SAMP, SELECT, SMALL, SPAN, STRIKE, STRONG, SUB, SUP, TABLE, TBODY, TD, TEXTAREA, TFOOT, TH, THEAD, TR, TT, U, UL, VAR, XMP