# Copy/paste layout object with its coordinates

**URL:** <https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397>\
**Category:** Tips and Techniques\
**Tags:** design\
**Created:** [October 26, 2019, 8:54am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397 "2019-10-26T08:54:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 8:54am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/1 "2019-10-26T08:54:10Z")

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If You know how to store the position of a layout-object and how to paste that object into other layouts at the very same position - no need to read on

- copy the desired object in a layout where its position is ok
- select browse mode (this stores the position)
- select layout mode again
- go to the next layout where that object should be pasted into
- without any clicking, paste
- the object will be pasted at its original position. Make sure that the target layout is heigh enough and don’t click anywhere

I guess that most of You are aware of this - but I was not, dito for some friends of mine, but we’re all rookies

This tip was shared at the german DevCon by the guru of printing, Fabrice Ricker (he speaks to printers and printer drivers - those probably dream about him…)

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**Author:** ![jwilling](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/jwilling/32/256_2.png) [@jwilling](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jwilling)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/2 "2019-10-26T23:57:04Z")

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I’ve always done step 2 and 3 after step 4. I didn’t know it worked this way too. Thanks.

Re: accidentally clicking. If you _do_ click somewhere on the target layout, you can enter browse mode then layout mode and the paste position will be fixed again.

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**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 10:20am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/3 "2019-10-28T10:20:01Z")

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Hi Markus,

if you use a tool like Clip Manager it is even easier:  
activate Clip Manager  
copy any object to the clipboard  
[do something completely different including using the clipboard]  
come back to Clip Manager and load the above copied objects  
insert at the exact same place…

in the clipboard-XML

Layout enclosingRectTop=“141.0000000” enclosingRectLeft=“145.0000000” enclosingRectBottom=“215.0000000” enclosingRectRight=“567.0000000”

seems to store the position of the objects but that gets lost in/by the FM-engine

… or is destroyed to prohibit pasting at the exact same position because FM fears we could mess up the layout and end with double/triple what ever layout objects one stapled on the other…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 12:27pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/4 "2019-10-28T12:27:20Z")

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Thank You Holger!

I had an earlier version of clip manager - but that thing was crashing a lot (although Windows users did not have crashes at that time) and I decided to give it up

Does it run stable now? If so, I would buy it again…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 12:40pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/5 "2019-10-28T12:40:33Z")

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I’m using version 5 without any difficulties

What I like is copying snippets within Apple Remote Desktop sessions since the FM-XML-clipboard does not work anymore between different computers

yes, I know, I could also use Russells fmWorkmate, but for me Clip Manager does the trick

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/6 "2019-10-28T13:39:28Z")

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re-bought, site license (upgrade was possible)

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/7 "2019-10-28T13:51:36Z")

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and I hope you still have your old library 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Markus](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Markus)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 1:57pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/8 "2019-10-28T13:57:44Z")

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no. That one went off as I bought a new Mini some time ago. Is not a problem, I did not save those snippets because of older versions (FM, os, all…)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harvest](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/harvest/32/231_2.png) [@harvest](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/harvest)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/copy-paste-layout-object-with-its-coordinates/397/9 "2019-10-28T17:31:38Z")

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with the MBS Plugin you can replicate the behaviour

1. register hotkey for copy-step

Set Variable [$$hotkey\_c\_shift\_ctrl ; Value: MBS( “HotKey.Register”;“c”; “shift-control” ;1)]

1. define hotkey

this copies to clipboard, enters browse-mode and resets clipboard to same content

Set Variable [$hotkeyEvaluate ; Value: MBS( “HotKey.SetEvaluate”; $$hotkey\_c\_shift\_ctrl; “Let ([ r = MBS( “Menubar.RunMenuCommand”; 57634 ); xmlCB = MBS( “Clipboard.GetFileMakerData”; “Layout12” ); r = MBS( “Menubar.RunMenuCommand”; 49155 )/_browse_/;r = MBS( “Clipboard.SetFileMakerData”; “Layout12”; xmlCB )]; “” )” )]

1. register hotkey for paste-step

Set Variable [$$hotkey\_v\_shift\_ctrl ; Value: MBS( “HotKey.Register”;“v”; “shift-control” ;1)]

1. define hotkey

this enters layout-mode and pastes clipboard

Set Variable [$hotkeyEvaluate ; Value: MBS( “HotKey.SetEvaluate”; $$hotkey\_v\_shift\_ctrl; “Let ([ r = MBS( “Menubar.RunMenuCommand”; 49156 )/_layout_/;r = MBS( “Menubar.RunMenuCommand”; 57637 )]; “” )” ) ]

1. enable both hotkeys

Set Variable [$setEnabled ; Value: MBS(“HotKey.SetEnabled”;$$hotkey\_c\_shift\_ctrl; 1)]  
Set Variable [$setEnabled ; Value: MBS(“HotKey.SetEnabled”;$$hotkey\_v\_shift\_ctrl; 1)]

with this method you copy layout objects to the clipboard and change to browse-mode  
(hotkey shift-ctrl-c)  
now you navigate to the target (layout, register, slider…)  
and paste to the exact position  
(hotkey shift-ctrl-v)

makes live a bit easier although it would be nicer not to have the need of changing between layout- and browse-mode, I was not (yet) able to get that behaviour into one hotkey-calculation

PS. only tested on macOS so far…