How can I copy a string to the clipboard within my console application WITHOUT adding a reference to System.Windows.Forms?

Question

I have a .NET 4.0 console application that generates SQL and stores it in a string variable. I want this string to be copied directly to the clipboard.

So far, all my research indicates that the ONLY way this can possibly be done is by adding a reference to System.Windows.Forms. I do not want to add a reference to an assembly that is irrelevant to a console application.

Within the universe in which we currently exist, is there a known method of copying a string of text to the clipboard within a console application that does not involve adding a reference to System.Windows.Forms nor any other assembly whose purpose is irrelevant to a bare-bones console application?

Answer 1

Platform invoking the clipboard APIs is a possible solution. Example:

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
class Program
{
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    internal static extern bool OpenClipboard(IntPtr hWndNewOwner);

    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    internal static extern bool CloseClipboard();

    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    internal static extern bool SetClipboardData(uint uFormat, IntPtr data);

    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        OpenClipboard(IntPtr.Zero);
        var yourString = "Hello World!";
        var ptr = Marshal.StringToHGlobalUni(yourString);
        SetClipboardData(13, ptr);
        CloseClipboard();
        Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptr);
    }
}

This is just an example. Adding a little error handling around the code, like checking the return values of the P/Invoke functions, would be a good addition.

SetClipboardData is the interesting bit. You also want to make sure you open and close the clipboard, too.

The 13 passed in as the first argument is the data format. 13 means a Unicode string.