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NSServicesRequests Protocol Reference

(informal protocol)

Overview

This informal protocol consists of two methods, writeSelectionToPasteboard:types: and readSelectionFromPasteboard:. The first method provides data to a remote service, and the second receives any data the remote service might send back. Both respond to messages that are generated when the user chooses a command from the Services menu.

Tasks

Working with Pasteboards

• – readSelectionFromPasteboard:
• – writeSelectionToPasteboard:types:

Instance Methods

readSelectionFromPasteboard:

Reads data from the pasteboard and uses it to replace the current selection.

- (BOOL)readSelectionFromPasteboard:(NSPasteboard *)pboard

Parameters

pboard

The pasteboard containing the data to read.

Return Value

YES if your implementation was able to read the pasteboard data successfully; otherwise, NO.

Discussion

You implement this method to replace your application's current selection (that is, the text or objects that are currently selected) with the data on the pasteboard. The data would have been placed in the pasteboard by another application in response to a remote message from the Services menu. A readSelectionFromPasteboard: message is sent to the same object that previously received a writeSelectionToPasteboard:types: message.

Availability

• Available in Mac OS X v10.0 and later.

Declared In

NSApplication.h

writeSelectionToPasteboard:types:

Writes the current selection to the pasteboard.

- (BOOL)writeSelectionToPasteboard:(NSPasteboard *)pboard types:(NSArray *)types

Parameters

pboard

The pasteboard to receive your data.

types

An array of NSString objects listing the types of data that you should write to the pasteboard. You should write data to the pasteboard for as many of the types as you support.

Return Value

YES if your implementation was able to write one or more types to the pasteboard; otherwise, NO.

Discussion

A writeSelectionToPasteboard:types: message is sent to the first responder when the user chooses a command from the Services menu, but only if the receiver didn’t return nil to a previous validRequestorForSendType:returnType: message.

After your method writes the data to the pasteboard, a remote message is sent to the application that provides the service the user requested. If the service provider supplies return data to replace the selection, the first responder will then receive a readSelectionFromPasteboard: message.

Availability

• Available in Mac OS X v10.0 and later.

See Also

• – validRequestorForSendType:returnType: (NSResponder)

Related Sample Code

• iSpend

Declared In

NSApplication.h

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