Beyond the Basics

About Batch Mode

When using the Batch Clipboard keyboard shortcut CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + C the clipboard enters a new batch mode where items you have copied get stored. This first item you've copied, and each item copied after that, can be seen in a section of the Batch Clipboard menu called "Active Batch".

Whenever you're in batch mode a count appears beside the Batch Clipboard icon in the menu bar.

When you have a clipboard items stored, using CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + V will paste them one-at-a-time replayed in the same order you copied them. After you paste all the items in the batch, the clipboard returns to normal.

So only use Batch Clipboard's special keyboard shortcuts when you're copying and pasting a batch of items, batch mode is not meant to be left on.

If you've pasting some of the items from the batch but not all, leaving batch mode still on, then the clipboard may behave somewhat unexpectedly: if you copy something new, using Paste in the frontmost application will not paste that, but instead the next item in the batch.

However if you started batch mode but hadn't yet pasted from it, then the clipboard will function similar enough to normal that you might not notice. If you happen to glance in the menu bar and notice a large count beside the Batch Clipboard menu unexpectedly, then you've done this, left batch mode on. That's okay, it's easy to go back to normal...

You may wish to cancel batch mode if you've changed you mind about pasting some or all of the items you copied. Cancelling is done with the Cancel Batch menu item (or a quicker way, see below). See also Menu Items.

But if you've decided you've copied the wrong thing when accumulating clips into a batch, you don't necessarily need to cancel and start all over. It is possible to delete an item from the batch, see Batch Mode Menu Items.

Also, while in batch mode and after you've started pasting from the batch, it's fine to copy more items. Those items copied will get added to the end of the batch, becoming the last items to paste.

Behind The Curtain

Once you're already in batch mode, any change to the system clipboard is seen by Batch Clipboard. This means you don't need to keep using the global shortcut CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + C, you really only use that shortcut for the first clipboard item which enters batch mode and copies the selection as the first thing in the batch.

This means using Cut from the frontmost application will also add this to the active batch, and also right clicking a selection and choosing Cut or Copy, or any other feature of an application that adds to the system clipboard.

The same is not true for pasting however. You do need to use either the Batch Clipboard keyboard shortcut CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + V (or the Paste from Batch & Advance menu item) to paste from the batch and automatically advance to the next item.

You may choose to the use this keyboard shortcut for each clip however (we at Bananameter Labs usually do) because it follow a nice symmetrical and memorable mental model:

CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + C to copy into a batch,
CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + V to paste from it.

For tips and techniques to using the frontmost application's copy and paste commands with Batch Clipboard, see Advanced Copy and Paste Techniques.

Entering Batch Mode Explicitly

The Batch Clipboard menu has a Start Batch menu item. Using this will start batch mode with the active batch empty. The menu bar will include "0" (zero) beside the menu bar icon.

You may wish to often or always use Batch Clipboard by starting an empty batch and then copying with your frontmost application's Copy (or Cut) commands instead of using the keyboard shortcut CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + C. If this is the case, you can choose to add a keyboard shortcut for Start Batch in the Batch Clipboard Settings window.

For example you could delete this default shortcut for Copy into Batch and instead make CONTROL (^) + COMMAND (⌘) + C the shortcut for Start Batch. Or choose something different and sometimes use that and sometimes use the default Copy into Batch shortcut, or change them both 🤷‍♂️.

See also Menu Items and Settings: General.

Beyond the Keyboard Shortcuts

A secret ways to enter batch mode besides the keyboard shortcuts and menu items is to click the Batch Clipboard menu bar icon with CONTROL (^) pressed (the menu doesn't open).

When you're already in batch mode, doing the same again is a shortcut for Cancel Batch. So holding CONTROL (^) when clicking the Batch Clipboard menu bar icon, in effect, toggles in and out of batch mode.

Using Clipboard History

Documentation of the history features are coming soon.