how to copy an array to clipboard in javascript

Question

i have this simple function in which i try to pass an array to the clipboard in order to paste in in excel later on

hiddenInputOnCopyHandler = ev => {    
    ev.clipboardData.setData('text/plain', ev.currentTarget.value.split(','));
    ev.preventDefault();
  };

but i'm getting a string instead, i guess because the type passed in the setData is 'text/plain' but i couldn't find better in its documentation

now the problem is that when it's pasted in excel, the whole serialized array will take only one cell

Answer 1

According to the docs , you should fire a copy command to copy the selection to clipboard. Also you should check for browser compatibility.

Also currentTarget.value gives undefined so you should use textContent instead.

When you click on paragraph, then it fires the copy command in copyAction function and then eventListener with copy event executes the hiddenInputonCopyHandler function.

function init(){

   let el = document.getElementById("CpToClip");
    el.addEventListener('click',copyAction);
    
    el.addEventListener('copy', hiddenInputOnCopyHandler);
    
}

function copyAction(){
   document.execCommand('copy');  
}

hiddenInputOnCopyHandler = ev => {
    let copiedVal = ev.currentTarget.textContent.trim().split(',').join('\t');
    
    console.log(copiedVal);// "HHHhhh" "mkjf" "Tendue" "Bonne" "10-07-2020" "khgkg@kjk.od"    
    
    ev.clipboardData.setData('text/plain', copiedVal);
    ev.preventDefault();
}


addEventListener('load',init);

Html

<p id="CpToClip">
   HHHhhh,mkjf,Tendue,Bonne,10-07-2020,khgkg@kjk.od
</p>

Check my solution and let me know.

Answer 2

You should try tab \t instead of comma , ( reference )

ev.currentTarget.value.split(',').join('\t')