OpenClipboard failed when copy pasting data from WPF DataGrid

Question

I've got a WPF application using datagrid. The application worked fine until I installed Visual Studio 2012 and Blend+SketchFlow preview. Now, when I'm trying to copy the data from the grid into the clipboard with Ctrl + C (in any application), I'm getting the following exception:

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x800401D0): OpenClipboard Failed (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800401D0 (CLIPBRD_E_CANT_OPEN))    at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHRInternal(Int32 errorCode, IntPtr errorInfo)    at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(Int32 errorCode, IntPtr errorInfo)    at System.Windows.Clipboard.Flush()    at System.Windows.Clipboard.CriticalSetDataObject(Object data, Boolean copy)    at System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid.OnExecutedCopy(ExecutedRoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid.OnExecutedCopy(Object target, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandBinding.OnExecuted(Object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandManager.ExecuteCommandBinding(Object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e, CommandBinding commandBinding)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandManager.FindCommandBinding(CommandBindingCollection commandBindings, Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e, ICommand command, Boolean execute)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandManager.FindCommandBinding(Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e, ICommand command, Boolean execute)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandManager.OnExecuted(Object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)    at System.Windows.UIElement.OnExecutedThunk(Object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)    at System.Windows.Input.ExecutedRoutedEventArgs.InvokeEventHandler(Delegate genericHandler, Object target)    at System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs.InvokeHandler(Delegate handler, Object target)    at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)    at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEventImpl(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseTrustedEvent(RoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEvent(RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean trusted)    at System.Windows.Input.RoutedCommand.ExecuteImpl(Object parameter, IInputElement target, Boolean userInitiated)    at System.Windows.Input.RoutedCommand.ExecuteCore(Object parameter, IInputElement target, Boolean userInitiated)    at System.Windows.Input.CommandManager.TranslateInput(IInputElement targetElement, InputEventArgs inputEventArgs)    at System.Windows.UIElement.OnKeyDownThunk(Object sender, KeyEventArgs e)    at System.Windows.Input.KeyEventArgs.InvokeEventHandler(Delegate genericHandler, Object genericTarget)    at System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs.InvokeHandler(Delegate handler, Object target)    at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)    at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEventImpl(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseTrustedEvent(RoutedEventArgs args)    at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEvent(RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean trusted)    at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessStagingArea()    at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessInput(InputEventArgs input)    at System.Windows.Input.InputProviderSite.ReportInput(InputReport inputReport)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndKeyboardInputProvider.ReportInput(IntPtr hwnd, InputMode mode, Int32 timestamp, RawKeyboardActions actions, Int32 scanCode, Boolean isExtendedKey, Boolean isSystemKey, Int32 virtualKey)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndKeyboardInputProvider.ProcessKeyAction(MSG& msg, Boolean& handled)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.CriticalTranslateAccelerator(MSG& msg, ModifierKeys modifiers)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.OnPreprocessMessage(Object param)    at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)    at MS.Internal.Threading.ExceptionFilterHelper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)    at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.LegacyInvokeImpl(DispatcherPriority priority, TimeSpan timeout, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs)    at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Invoke(DispatcherPriority priority, Delegate method, Object arg)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.OnPreprocessMessageThunk(MSG& msg, Boolean& handled)    at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.WeakEventPreprocessMessage.OnPreprocessMessage(MSG& msg, Boolean& handled)    at System.Windows.Interop.ComponentDispatcherThread.RaiseThreadMessage(MSG& msg)    at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(DispatcherFrame frame)    at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrame(DispatcherFrame frame)    at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.Run()    at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(Object ignore)    at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(Window window)    at System.Windows.Application.Run(Window window)    at System.Windows.Application.Run() 

This is really annoying.

I've seen some references to this problem here and on various locations on the web, with no real solution.

I can verify that the clipboard is locked when this exception is raised in Visual Studio, as I couldn't copy paste the message (had to write it to a file). Also, the clipboard wasn't locked before the copy process started.

How to solve this problem?

Answer 1

We are using .NET 4.0. We had the same problem, but after logging off the system, code used to work fine for some time.

Finally we found the alternative.

If you want to copy a string to the clipboard,

string data = "Copy This" 

Till now I was using the following method

Clipboard.SetText(data); 

It was failing again and again. Then I looked at other methods available to set text in the clipboard in Clipboard Class and tried the following:

Clipboard.SetDataObject(data); 

And it worked :). I never had the issue again.

Answer 2

It is a bug in the WPF Clipboard handler. You need to handle the unhandled exception in the Application.DispatcherUnhandledException event.

Add this attribute to the Application element in your App.xaml

DispatcherUnhandledException="Application_DispatcherUnhandledException" 

Add this code to your App.xaml.cs file

void Application_DispatcherUnhandledException(object sender, DispatcherUnhandledExceptionEventArgs e) {     var comException = e.Exception as System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException;      if (comException != null && comException.ErrorCode == -2147221040)          e.Handled = true; }