ClipName Overview
How often have you wanted to get the full pathname of a file, but file manager and explorer don't let you, so you wind up actually typing parts of the name?  For me it was too often, so I wrote this little utility to help.  Very simple usage: drag file name(s) from file manager or explorer and drop on this program, and the names will be copied to the clipboard.  If more than one name is given, they are placed on separate lines when pasted into a document.

ClipName is a Win32 program which has been tested on Windows NT 3.51 and Windows95.  It should also run on Win16 with Win32s, but hasn’t been tested in this environment.  If anyone runs it this way, please let me know.  ClipName was written in Microsoft Visual C++, V4.0.


How to Use ClipName
This section explains how to use ClipName (it could hardly be easier).  Usage varies, depending on which UI you're using:

On the Windows 3.1-style interface (e.g., NT 3.51):

The best way to use the program is run an instance of it (either from your startup group or just whenever you need it).  When you want to get the path name of a file on the clipboard, drag the file name(s) from file manager, and drop on the running instance of this program (either the icon or the dialog).

On the Windows95 interface, there are several ways to use the program (I use them all):

1) Put a shortcut to the program binary on the desktop.  Drag file names from any explorer window and drop on the shortcut icon.

2) Put a shortcut to the program binary in the Send To menu (by putting a shortcut to ClipName.exe in the SendTo folder).  Then, by right-clicking on a file name, you can cause the file name to be sent to ClipName, thus placing the full path name on the clipboard.

3) Run a copy of the program and drag/drop file names to the open dialog.

ClipName may also be run from the command line (in a command prompt window).  Any arguments passed to it are placed on the clipboard and the program exits.  If no arguments are given, the ClipName dialog is run.

A note on Explorer drag/drop:

I've noticed that if you drag/drop file names onto shortcuts, where the file names don't fit the DOS 8.3 conventions (eg, long names or containing certain characters), explorer passes the munged (8.3) file names to the invoked program.  If you find this to be a problem, run an instance of ClipName and drag/drop on the running program (dialog); in this case, explorer seems to pass the full name, preserving case.  If anyone knows how to get explorer to pass the full name all the time, please let me know.


Distribution Rights

ClipName Distribution Rights

ClipName was written by Bob Beck (rbk@teleport.com, RDBeck@aol.com,

71674.106@compuserve.com).  The binary of the program has been placed in the public domain.  Please distribute it as widely as you like, as long as this help file and the ReadMe.txt file are sent with it, and I retain credit for its creation.

Please send comments, complaints, requests for new features, etc. to the author at rbk@teleport.com.

The latest version of ClipName may be found at: http://www.teleport.com/~rbk/software/


If checked, backslashes (‘\’) are converted to forward slashes (‘/’) before copying to the clipboard.


If checked, the dialog window (and icon) is always on top of other windows.


If checked, when the dialog is closed, its last position is saved.  When next run, the dialog is placed in the same position on the screen.  Note: the dialog will never be placed such that any of it is off screen.


After dropping files on the dialog, what should it do: Nothing, Minimize itself, or Exit.


Dropping file names from File Manager or Explorer anywhere on the dialog causes their full path names to be copied to the clipboard.


Help and About box are available from the system menu.