Paste faster

Paste Stack: copy several things, paste them in order

Stop switching windows once per field.

⌘⌥S

What it does

The Paste Stack turns copy and paste into a queue. You collect several copies while you are in the source document, then paste them out one at a time where they are needed. The window switching, which is the actual cost of moving data between two apps, happens once.

When it is the right tool

  • Filling a form from a spreadsheet row or a PDF.
  • Moving a list of values into a config file.
  • Rebuilding an address, a name, an order number and a date into a support reply.

Stack or slots

Use the stack for a one time sequence you will drain and forget. Use slots for the same handful of values every day. They are different tools and they do not compete.

Tips

  • Copy in reading order. The stack pastes back in the order it received things, so reading top to bottom means pasting field by field.
  • Whether each item is pasted for you or left for your own ⌘V is the paste mode setting, not something the stack decides.
  • Multi-select in the picker is the alternative when you want everything joined into one paste with a separator instead of pasted separately.

Fill a form without window switching

  1. 1
    Open the stack

    Press ⌘⌥S to open the Paste Stack.

  2. 2
    Collect your copies

    Go to the source document and copy each value in the order you will need it. Each copy joins the stack.

  3. 3
    Switch once

    Move to the form or document you are filling. You will not need to go back.

  4. 4
    Paste them out in order

    Paste one item at a time. Each paste takes the next item in the stack, so you move field to field without leaving the window.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from normal history?

History is a pile you search. The stack is a queue you drain, so pasting five values takes five pastes instead of five searches.

What order do items come out in?

The order you copied them, which is why it pairs so well with reading a source document top to bottom.

Can I still use the picker while the stack has items?

Yes. The stack is a separate queue and your history keeps recording as usual.

Does the stack paste for me?

It follows your paste mode. In the default Clipboard mode each item is put on the clipboard for your own ⌘V. In Active-app mode, with Accessibility granted, ClipBuddy pastes each one into the app in front.