### NAME

Tk_GetSelection - retrieve the contents of a selection

### SYNOPSIS

#include <tk.h>
int
Tk_GetSelection(interp, tkwin, selection, target, proc, clientData)

### 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.

ClientData clientData (in)
  Arbitrary one-word value to pass to proc.

### 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(
    	ClientData 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 didn't respond promptly). Tk_GetSelection normally returns TCL_OK; if an error occurs, it returns TCL_ERROR and leaves an error message in interp->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 interp->result and return TCL_ERROR; this will abort the selection retrieval.

### KEYWORDS

format, get, selection retrieval

    Copyright © 1990-1994 The Regents of the University of California.
    Copyright © 1994-1996 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Copyright © 1995-1997 Roger E. Critchlow Jr.