CopyLess and PopClip Jump Aboard the Party Barge
Since I’m building up a host of efficiency tools, I’ve added CopyLess 2 and PopClip to my arsenal.
At first glance having CopyLess might seem contradictory since Alfred already has a clipboard manager. Under normal circumstances that would be correct, but I want to use a clipboard manager in a slightly different, but very specific way.
Since I have multiple monitors (4), I want the clipboard manager to float on a second monitor and be visible at all times. It needs to be on top of other apps and not disappear when it loses focus. When filling out forms and working on certain test scenarios, I want to move back and forth as quickly as possible to copy and paste data. I don’t want to repeatedly press key combinations or go to the menu bar to make my list appear.
There are a lot of really good clipboard managers out there, including the one built in to Alfred, but CopyLess was one of the few that could actually stay on top of other applications, keep track of a large list and set aside text as favorites. And because of that, it’s working out really well for me. It also comes in at a very affordable price with some nice customizations.
Another tool in the efficiency category is PopClip. This was also a new one to me, but I can see why people are fans. When you select a block of text, it creates a floating bar like you see on iOS devices. But it’s more than just Copy/Paste. There are a hundred plugins available that allow you to do something with that selected text whether it be reformatting it, creating an appointment, performing a search, or turning it into a note.
The popup bar is very handy on it’s own, but when you add the extended functionality of plugins, you get a tool with almost limitless possibilities. It’s another way of linking actions and functions together so you can continue from one task to another in a seamless way.
