This is one of my journal posts. The primary purpose is to help me remember how I spent several hours today very frustrated with ClipClip. I don’t want to have to do this again! Ever!
Just need to remember to look for this post before trying to organize clips again.
And maybe it’ll help someone else who is using ClipClip. Since I may learn more about the issues, I plan to update here as I get more info. It might just be me not being able to figure things out.
It stresses me that I get so little done and a direct result is that I get even less done and make more mistakes.
1/3/23
I SO want to like ClipClip to organize my screenshots and keep track of everything I copy, but it’s just not usable.
Wasted so much time AGAIN to try to use ClipClip to go through my screenshots, rename them and upload to the cloud.
I searched for a recent clip in my data directory and found only stress and frustration.
Organizing clips within Clip Clip is not an option.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to simply move the “latest” clips into another folder within ClipClip because it uses HUGE amounts of memory. More than Firefox with 130+ tabs.
I don’t understand that. Just because I display directories in Explorer or other file managers / editors doesn’t cause it to use up all my memory.
So I found NOTHING in my data directory and finally searched my entire C drive.
Found the file in the TEMP directory in USERS:
2023-1-3 ClipClip temp dir
Strangely, I’ve renamed the file since, but the temp dir hasn’t changed and it’s the ONLY file in the temp dir.
Here’s a screenshot of the ClipClip app and it LOOKS very cool, easy to find the clips you need:
File names make sense in ClipClip — why are they random characters in Explorer?
Update: I guess because they’re encrypted. But WHY? To protect the files from me?
If I could only FIND those files on the drive to upload them!!!
Conspicuously absent is the option to “open the file folder” in the right-click menu.
I was shocked to see that the “Latest Clips” are not what they SHOULD be.
2023-1-3 ClipClip latest clips
What the heck? What on earth is THAT MESS!!!!
Update: After researching and reading I’m guessing that every clip is encrypted to ensure that I can’t work with it and have to “save” the files somehow. Manually.
This is how I have to waste my life, my brain, my energy. Just about every day. I HAVE to organize my business, my medical records, my life …
My MAJOR issues with ClipClip:
- Apps should NEVER store MY data in some “user” or “program” directory.
You can’t find your data without wasting HUGE amounts of time and quite likely you will LOSE the data when you reinstall your system because it’s not in a dedicated data directory that’s backed up or transferred. Ask me how I know. It is common courtesy to ask users where to install the app and where to save data. - Documentation: I couldn’t find the location of the files.https://docs.google.com/document/d/14kSrDJxE_DyfFXn70WQdvijnR_s3O01FpNF77ax5V1s/edit#heading=h.2x5z4pgfjta5
Temporary Clips (a.k.a latest clips)
Temporary clips are created when you copy something to your clipboard. These clips are stored locally in a hidden folder and are encrypted for your privacy. They cannot be accessed directly using File Explorer or equivalent file manager applications.Saved Clips
These clips are stored locally on your hard drive. A very important attribute is that these are regular files. As such, users can create or edit saved clips using any compatible third-party editor.
It sounds like you need to copy and then SAVE clips before you can do anything. I can do that in ANY screenshot app, no need for ClipClip if that’s so.
And then there are the minor bugs.
Today I wasted a lot of time trying to rename files in ClipClip. I was in TILE view mode and tried, again and again, to rename, selecting “Rename Clip” after right-clicking on the file. It just didn’t work unless I went to EDIT the file — another 12-step program …
Eventually, I figured out that I can rename files with View set to DETAILS. WHY WHY WHY is the option in TILE view available if it doesn’t work?
I’d pay a couple of hundred dollars for a functional clip organizer.
- Linked file folders for easy drop & drag from the clip history for organization by subject.
Like Explorer’s Quick Access. NOT creating a SEPARATE file system, but integrating the existing structure and data. Even better would be a field for tags and/or categories and the “latest” clips should be UNLIMITED instead of overwriting after 1000 (limited only by drive space.) - Automatic naming conventions
Users should be able to set up automatic naming conventions, such as date formats and for text clips specify the number of characters to be included in the file name and possibly the app it was copied from (after the date).
Now that I posted here, I will hopefully remember why I can NOT use ClipClip for more than keeping track of recent clips. Which is nice, but I need a lot more.
I’ve emailed support a few times and they did get back to me, points for that. But it’s email, not a ticket system, which would be so much better since I could see what I already asked months ago.
I’m so sick and tired of CONTINUALLY searching, so I don’t have it in me to search for the emails.
How many brain cells did I waste on ClipClip today?
Instead of organizing my labs, I created this post 🙁
So much potential, but I’m afraid ClipClip might have to be completely redesigned to turn it into an app to effectively organize.
I also don’t have it in me to test other apps, already tried so many, but appreciate recommendations. I know there are many screenshot apps, but I need the text clips too — everything I copy.
I do NOT need another app to modify images and whatever else. There are COUNTLESS apps already and developers ought to focus on the job: ORGANIZE! The major reason for so many sucky apps is that they continually add features prior to a stable product. Focus on QUALITY!
I just read the ClipClip FAQ at https://clipclip.com/clipboard-manager-frequently-asked-questions/
It looks like it does EVERYTHING I want:
… Saved Clips are stored as normal files (txt, html, jpeg, etc) on your hard drive so you may use your favorite cloud service (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive or even SVN) to share Saved Clips with your team. …
Sounds great! But I haven’t been able to find those files. UPDATE: because they are apparently encrypted.
Where are they?
Why use ClipClip?
ClipClip will save you and/or your team significant time. Rather than using separate systems anywhere you use templates (such as email, support desks, forums, etc.) you can use a single piece of lightweight software which works universally across all services and software applications.
This makes no sense at all. How can you claim it’s “lightweight” when it uses more memory than 130+ open tabs in Firefox?
How does ClipClip handle my data?
In age when cloud services can be shut down, get acquired by larger firms, or change its privacy policy from one day to the next, this is an important question. Personal privacy and data lock-in are unfortunate consequences of being limited to a single cloud provider (f.i. Evernote).
ClipClip saves your clips in common and often human-readable or open-source file formats such as .txt, .md, .html, .png, or .jpeg. The only exception is for password-protected folders, which are stored as an encrypted .zip file.
Thanks to ClipClip’s methodology when it comes to using non-proprietary formats, you can freely choose to store your files only locally on your hard drive, or to synchronize your clips using your preferred cloud service provider, such as Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, SugarSync, Amazon Cloud Drive, OneDrive, pCloud, iCloud, OpenDrive, or Mega.
Clips that are stored as plain text or Markdown files provide unparalleled flexibility when it comes to storage, publishing to the web, or using third-party editors.
Don’t I wish this was true. Exactly what I tried to do today! But clearly not happening.
Notably, the FAQ doesn’t contain any screenshots or videos about HOW to actually organize. I checked YouTube and the ClipClip videos were so disappointing.
I feel so bad having to put up this post, after all, it’s free software. I always try to support the little people and I pay for so much shareware, try to stay away from the big corporations.
So I sent the link to this post to ClipClip, maybe there’s still hope to make it useable for more than saving recent clips.
Maybe I’m just a stupid brain-damaged idiot.
For now, I’m going to use FireFox, Snipping Tool and GoFullPage for Chrome to SAVE the screenshots in a special directory to later use in posts or upload to the cloud — instead of copying to ClipClip. Initially more work, but ultimately a HUGE time saver.
I also tried Evernote and hate the cloud stuff and annual subscriptions. Won’t be able to afford all these subscriptions on $ 266 social security.
PS: WordPress Classic Editor is so buggy too. EVERY SINGLE TIME I edit the post it puts the text under the LIST on the same line as the list item. I’m mostly in Text when pasting, but I formatted in Visual. Just reviewed the entire page and found duplicate and triplicate formatting code, bold. Why do I have to do this manually? Can’t the editor detect a duplicate tag and delete it automatically? How did it even happen?
I so dislike block editors. I WRITE. And I insert pics or video occasionally, but mostly I write and in my entire life I’ve never written in blocks. I find it distracting. I do appreciate the “distraction-free” display option while writing though. That’s a great feature.
I’d pay a few bucks for a WP editor that’s a little more sophisticated than the Classic Editor, with automated error checking.
It’s 2023 and I got so much more done in the 90s making static HTML pages.
Hello Christine,
I would like to ask you to review another “ClipClip User Manual” document that describes the main features of the ClipClip app that you tried to find out in more detail.
I am sure that after that, you will change your opinion about the ClipClip app.
Please visit this webpage:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dug1ISp5YmVWzGswEuNERNBzvfCPT10U
Best Regards.
Yaroslav, your document was already linked in my post and it’s what I have been “studying”.
Your “concepts” are flawed.
NOBODY wants to waste their time connecting folders. What on earth is the PURPOSE of that?
I don’t need to waste MORE time. Explorer is probably the best part of windows.
Why create chaos and confusion when you COULD just make ClipClip a fantastic clip organizer?
BTW, I don’t study Word, Excel, Acrobat or other software manuals. I’m a USER, not a developer.
Giving a user the exact same document that they quoted from is NOT what I call good support.
You should be able to make a good living providing functional software like ClipClip, but you have to offer more than retaining the last 1000 clips and then deleting them.
Please study my post. 🙂
RIGHT NOW ClipClip is wasting almost 2,300 MB of my memory for no good reason whatsoever. There are less than 100 clips.
WHY ARE YOU KEEPING EVERY CLIP IN MEMORY?
Hello again,
)
If you reply to the messages, please read them more carefully.
The reason for this suggestion is as follows:
You wrote:
– “Yaroslav, your document was already linked in my post and it’s what I have been “studying”.”
– “Giving a user the exact same document that they quoted from is NOT what I call good support.”
…
I wrote before your message:
– “I would like to ask you to review another…”
…
Please pay attention to the word “another”. This is really another “ClipClip User Manual” document that had not been published yet. It describes the main features of the ClipClip app in more detail. In some cases, it describes some things a bit differently according to the last modifications in the ClipClip app.
I think that you did not read that document because you write about memory usage as an issue that cannot be solved.
For example, you write: “WHY ARE YOU KEEPING EVERY CLIP IN MEMORY?”
All clips are placed in the ClipClip process memory. This allows you to make some actions very quickly:
– To paste clips (some users paste clips very quickly).
– To show the clip contents (visit this link:
Etc.
Therefore, regarding your questions, I suggest you read these paragraphs in a new “ClipClip User Manual” document (use a link from my previous message):
– Clips (general)
– Latest Clips (definition, security, description)
– Saved Clips (definition, security, description)
– Connected Folders (definition, security, description)
NOTE: It will be better if you read the whole document.
Best Regards, and have a nice weekend.
If you think I have time to study TWO documents, think again ….
“For example, you write: “WHY ARE YOU KEEPING EVERY CLIP IN MEMORY?”
All clips are placed in the ClipClip process memory. This allows you to make some actions very quickly: …”
Sorry, I can see images and scans just as quickly in Explorer. And if it’s a nano second faster in ClipClip — who cares?
Maybe somebody, but it just doesn’t work for me to not have my already existing files and folders linked.
Just don’t have time to constantly look for stuff.
I hope your other users like it, maybe they’re students and work with VERY small projects.
I’m dealing with MANY thousands of files 🙂
As I can see, the greeting is ignored on this website, but in any case, Hello)
Sorry, but we can’t finish our discussion with your last message because we haven’t reached a consensus yet.
You wrote:
“If you think I have time to study TWO documents, think again …”
…
I thought about it and as a result, I decided to give you another document that shows that your post contains not accurate information.
You wrote:
“I’m dealing with MANY thousands of files 🙂”
…
The keyword in this sentence is “files”. You probably don’t really understand what the clips are and how they can be used.
A clip can be considered as a piece of text or image that will be often used in the future. Clips can present addresses, card numbers, passwords, URLs, short answers, etc. For example, you can copy any full address and it will not have 100 characters. As a result, you can have 1.000.000 such clips (this is 1.000.000 files!) and their total size will be about 100Mb on the hard drive or in RAM – this is normal for any computer.
NOTE: There is no reason to keep too large text (like an e-book with 1000 pages) or image (with high resolution – 4k or more) as a clip.
Such data must be copied and saved as files by using special editors that do that without losing data quality.
Therefore, you are right, if you work with “MANY thousands of files” (not with clips), it will be better to use File Explorer instead of clipboard managers for your job.
Now, this is a finish of our correspondence)
Best Regards.
Yaroslav, I appreciate the time you take, but I don’t have 1000-page ebooks in ClipClip and that’s why the excessive memory use is so weird.
However, I’m not limiting my clips to “addresses, card numbers, passwords, URLs, short answers, etc.”
The files I use and COPY are MOSTLY photos and screenshots (many long full page). That may be the issue.
I’ve used other organizers with easily modifiable symlinks to my files.
Another suggestion: Allow users to SAVE all “files” automatically in their preferred directory. That way we can just clear out the clips without worrying about losing them.