SDL_GetClipboardText(3)

💖 NAME 💖

SDL_GetClipboardText — bestie, it grabs the UTF-8 text from the clipboard. That's it, that's the whole job ✨

This one lives in the SDL3 functions crew, and yes she's a main character.

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <SDL3/SDL_clipboard.h>

char * SDL_GetClipboardText(void);

No arguments. No drama. Just vibes and a char * 🫶

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

Okay so here's the tea: this function returns an empty string if there isn't enough memory left for a copy of the clipboard's content. Like, she tried her best, but the malloc said no 💀

That's the only caveat listed, and it's lowkey important, so don't come for me when you get "" back and assume the clipboard was empty. It might just be broke. iykyk

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🎀 RETURN VALUE 🎀

• On success — you get the clipboard text back. Slay 👑
• On failure — you get an empty string instead. Call SDL_GetError() for more information, she'll tell you what went wrong 🥺

Important, bestie: whatever you get back must be freed with SDL_free() when it is no longer needed. Don't just walk away from it, that's a memory leak and leaks are not the aesthetic 💅

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🧚 THREAD SAFETY 🧚

This function should only be called on the main thread. Periodt. Don't try to be cute and call her from a worker thread, she will not answer 🌈

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🦋 AVAILABILITY 🦋

She's been serving since SDL 3.2.0. Anything older? Sorry babe, not available 🙈

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⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

• SDL_HasClipboardText(3) — the vibe check: is there even text in there? 👀
• SDL_SetClipboardText(3) — the other half of the duo, she's the one who puts stuff in 💖

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And that's the whole page, no cap. This lil love letter comes to you from Simple Directmedia Layer, SDL 3.4.18 edition 🎀 Go forth, read your clipboard, free your strings, and stay on the main thread bestie 🫶✨