copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

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cybervigilante

copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by cybervigilante »

When I copy something from Downloads there is no entry to paste into my thumb drive, yet I can drag it there. I don't get it.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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AZgl1800
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Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by AZgl1800 »

I have noticed that Mint 18.3 does NOT treat "copy/paste" the same way every where.

sometimes I do a Right Click Copy and then I do a paste somewhere, and it pastes the PREVIOUSLY copied content .. what the heck is going on here???

So, I have started copying everything via the keyboard, Control-c
and then opening a folder for where it is to go, and then do Control-v

that seems to work "most of the time".

I do NOT like to use a mouse, Drag 'n Drop are abhorrent to me. :evil:
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Mattyboy

Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by Mattyboy »

I use the middle mouse key to grab and drag ( a question mark will appear ) release the key in desired location and left click the option.
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Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by Cosmo. »

cybervigilante wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:22 pm When I copy something from Downloads there is no entry to paste into my thumb drive, yet I can drag it there.
Possibly you did a right click in the folder pane, but you did it on an existing object, not on an empty place. You find the command for pasting also in the edit menu.
cybervigilante

Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by cybervigilante »

Paste under Edit is grayed out. That's not the problem. For some reason dragging works but copy/paste doesn't. I even tried taking ownership of the downloaded file but no luck.
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Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by Cosmo. »

If paste is grayed out, than there has not been any useful content be copied into the clipboard.

If we would know anything about your system, we could also give some more advice, but you did not provide the least.
What is your version of Mint and what is the desktop environment? Which kernel and which architecture? If you don't know open a terminal and enter:

Code: Select all

inxi -Szxx
Paste the output here.

You need to give this information for every help request in every thread.
Do not forget this in the future.
cybervigilante

Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by cybervigilante »

Here's my current system. But this has happened on two different computers I put Mint 18.3 on.

System: Host: jim-Aspire-XC-603G Kernel: 4.13.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) dm: lightdm
Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Cosmo.
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Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by Cosmo. »

Mark in the file manager any object (doesn't matter which). You will see right to the top most command a + sign. Click it; the context menu will now get enhanced. If you now have to copy or move anything, open in the file manager a second pane (F3 does this) and display in one pane the source folder, in the other pane the target. Now right click the object to transfer, select the sub-menu for copy to and select there "other pane".
sbroccolo

Re: copy paste doesn't work but dragging does

Post by sbroccolo »

If your target directory is in List mode rather than Icon mode it may be difficult to Copy and Paste while a drag and drop will still work.
Switching to Icon mode in the target directory will give you a blank spot to paste a file you have previously marked with right-click and copy.
Another option to try is, while dragging and dropping, hold the ctrl key down. You will see a little "+" indicating it is going to make a copy and not move it.

Good Luck,
Steve B.
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