Tk\_GetSelection(3) Tk Library Procedures Tk\_GetSelection(3)

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# [NAME](#NAME)

Tk\_GetSelection - retrieve the contents of a selection

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
#include <tk.h>

int
Tk_GetSelection(interp, tkwin, selection, target, proc, clientData)
```

# [ARGUMENTS](#ARGUMENTS)

Tcl\_Interp *\*interp* (in)

Interpreter to use for reporting errors.

Tk\_Window *tkwin* (in)

Window on whose behalf to retrieve the selection (determines display from which to retrieve).

Atom *selection* (in)

The name of the selection to be retrieved.

Atom *target* (in)

Form in which to retrieve selection.

Tk\_GetSelProc *\*proc* (in)

Procedure to invoke to process pieces of the selection as they are retrieved.

void *\*clientData* (in)

Arbitrary one-word value to pass to *proc*.

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# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**Tk\_GetSelection** retrieves the selection specified by the atom *selection* in the format specified by *target*. The selection may actually be retrieved in several pieces; as each piece is retrieved, *proc* is called to process the piece. *Proc* should have arguments and result that match the type **Tk\_GetSelProc**:

```
typedef int Tk_GetSelProc(


        void *clientData,


        Tcl_Interp *interp,


        char *portion);
```

The *clientData* and *interp* parameters to *proc* will be copies of the corresponding arguments to **Tk\_GetSelection**. *Portion* will be a pointer to a string containing part or all of the selection. For large selections, *proc* will be called several times with successive portions of the selection. The X Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual allows a selection to be returned in formats other than strings, e.g. as an array of atoms or integers. If this happens, Tk converts the selection back into a string before calling *proc*. If a selection is returned as an array of atoms, Tk converts it to a string containing the atom names separated by white space. For any other format besides string, Tk converts a selection to a string containing hexadecimal values separated by white space.

**Tk\_GetSelection** returns to its caller when the selection has been completely retrieved and processed by *proc*, or when a fatal error has occurred (e.g. the selection owner did not respond promptly). **Tk\_GetSelection** normally returns **TCL\_OK**; if an error occurs, it returns **TCL\_ERROR** and leaves an error message in interpreter *interp*'s result. *Proc* should also return either **TCL\_OK** or **TCL\_ERROR**. If *proc* encounters an error in dealing with the selection, it should leave an error message in the interpreter result and return **TCL\_ERROR**; this will abort the selection retrieval.

# [KEYWORDS](#KEYWORDS)

format, get, selection retrieval

4.0 Tk

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Document: Tk_GetSelection(3) from tk 9.1.0-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://downloads.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/tcl/tk9.1.0-src.tar.gz