iPhone SDK - Simulate the copy, paste text with pasteboard

How to simulate the cut copy and paste functions in code with pasteboard? Here is a simple example for that.

1. Start a new xcode project.
2. Add two textviews (textpad and notepad in my example!) and three buttons as below.

Here is the interface code.

//

//  PasteBoardSampleViewController.h

//  PasteBoardSample

//

//  Created by Raja T S Sekhar on 3/24/11.

//  Copyright 2011 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.

//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface PasteBoardSampleViewController : UIViewController {

IBOutlet UITextView *textPad;

IBOutlet UITextView *notePad;

}

@property (nonatomic, retain) UITextView *textPad;

@property (nonatomic, retain) UITextView *notePad;

-(IBAction)copy;

-(IBAction)cut; 

-(IBAction)paste;

@end

Here is the implementation

//

//  PasteBoardSampleViewController.m

//  PasteBoardSample

//

//  Created by Raja T S Sekhar on 3/24/11.

//  Copyright 2011 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.

//

#import "PasteBoardSampleViewController.h"

@implementation PasteBoardSampleViewController

@synthesize textPad;

@synthesize notePad;

/*

// The designated initializer. Override to perform setup that is required before the view is loaded.

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil {

    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];

    if (self) {

        // Custom initialization

    }

    return self;

}

*/

/*

// Implement loadView to create a view hierarchy programmatically, without using a nib.

- (void)loadView {

}

*/

// Implement viewDidLoad to do additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.

- (void)viewDidLoad {

    [super viewDidLoad];

}

-(IBAction)cut {

[self copy];

textPad.text = @"";

} 

-(IBAction)copy {

NSString *copyString = [[NSString alloc] initWithFormat:@"%@",[textPad text]];

UIPasteboard *pb = [UIPasteboard generalPasteboard];

[pb setString:copyString];

}

-(IBAction)paste {

UIPasteboard *pb = [UIPasteboard generalPasteboard];

notePad.text = [pb string];

}

Run the application.

Type something first text view. Now use the buttons to copy/cut and paste the text to other. The code uses pasteboard for the process.