DataObjectFormat

A DataObjectFormat describes one of the formats a DataObject holds a value in. The descriptor is the element type yielded when iterating a DataObjectFormats collection, and exposes everything the runtime needs to negotiate a transfer: which clipboard format type the data is in, which aspect (rendering) of it is on offer, and how the bytes are stored.

Members

AspectIndex

Returns or sets a one-based index into the chosen AspectType, as a Long.

Syntax: object.AspectIndex [ = value ]

For aspects that have several pages or frames --- for example a multi-page metafile rendered with dvaspect_Content --- AspectIndex picks which one this descriptor refers to. For single-aspect formats, leave at the default.

AspectType

Returns or sets which rendering of the underlying data the descriptor refers to, as an AspectTypeConstants value.

Syntax: object.AspectType [ = value ]

Common values are dvaspect_Content (the data itself), dvaspect_Thumbnail (a small preview), dvaspect_Icon, and dvaspect_DocPrint (a print-time rendering). Most formats only ever expose dvaspect_Content.

FormatType

Returns or sets the clipboard format type, as a ClipboardConstants value.

Syntax: object.FormatType [ = value ]

Examples: vbCFText, vbCFUnicodeText, vbCFBitmap, vbCFFiles. The same numeric identifier can be passed to GetData or GetFormat.

Name

Returns the human-readable name of the format, as a String. Read-only.

Syntax: object.Name

For built-in clipboard formats this is a stable label such as "Text" or "Bitmap"; for formats registered with RegisterClipboardFormat, this is the name they were registered under, which is also the key accepted by GetDataByName and GetFormatByName.

StorageType

Returns or sets how the data is stored, as a StorageTypeConstants value.

Syntax: object.StorageType [ = value ]

Identifies the medium used to transfer the bytes --- a global memory handle, a file path, an IStream, an IStorage, a GDI handle, a metafile, or an enhanced metafile. The runtime normally negotiates this automatically; setting it directly is only needed when interoperating with another component that requires a specific medium.

Example

This example reads the name and type of the first available format on a DataObject.

If Data.AvailableFormats.Count > 0 Then
    Dim fmt As DataObjectFormat
    Set fmt = Data.AvailableFormats.Item(1)
    Debug.Print fmt.Name & " (" & fmt.FormatType & ")"
End If

See Also

• DataObject
• DataObjectFormats collection
• AvailableFormats method