#638 Copy/Paste from System Clipboard Silently Fails for Plugins With Webstart Launch

[Cliff Kotnik]

My research turned up a number of folks suggesting this can be fixed with java policy settings, for example http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/resources/InstructionsCopyPaste/. I tried this without success.

I found a number of references to placing code in the application to use the JNLP clipboard API. For example, https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/javaws/developersguide/examples.html#ClipboardService and https://www.programcreek.com/java-api-examples/?api=javax.jnlp.ClipboardService.

I created a simple proof of concept that checked to see if the javax.jnlp.ClipboardService was available indicating a Webstart launch. If this was the case, I just took the contents of the clipboard and made that the initial value of the Gaia source_id in the plugin’s dialog box. This seems to work. See ClipboardSnippet attachment.

Essentially the first JNLP link above works. I had to add $JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/javaws.jar to my classpath and get the same into the running application. Now it would appear that a real fix would be like the second link from progamcreek - replace the field editor’s paste action with the JNLP clipboard service.

Since I am using org.aavso.tools.vstar.ui.dialog.TextField such a change would not only impact the main VStar application, but take into a depth of java UI development completely new to me. And if TextField is so enabled, why not DoubleField, IntegerField as well.

It seems the logical workaround for people who find the lack of copy/paste a significant problem is to recommend downloading and running VStar on their local machine.

Cliff Kotnik

[David Benn]

This is an ongoing issue, but since we are considering moving away from WebStart support, there may be no need to expend much energy on this one. Thoughts?