The Mac wasn’t the first computer with a Clipboard, but it did make cutting and pasting far more accessible to far more people. But as good as it is, the Mac's Clipboard hasn't kept up with the rest of the System. Its most significant limitation is that it holds only one item at a time. The next time you cut or copy, whatever was already on the Clipboard is irretrievably lost. And, in general, you can't append anything to what's on the Clipboard. (Appending to the Clipboard is supported by Apple system software, but very few applications have chosen to implement it.)
WHAT IT IS MultiClip, a Startup document (also called an INIT), adds several new dimensions to the Clipboard. It allows as many Clipboards (which it calls ClipFrames) as you have disk space for, lets you rearrange the order of the ClipFrames, allows limited editing of material in the ClipFrames, and can import from and export to Scrapbooks and some other documents.
This neat program can be used as a replacement for both the Clipboard and the Scrapbook, and it offers new power for users who do a lot of cutting and pasting. The cost is some additional complexity. MultiClip is a relatively large program, and it has lots of commands and options. You’ll need to take the time to master many—if not all—of them to get the most out of MultiClip.
HOW IT WORKS Installation is simple, as it is for all Startup documents. Copy or drag the MultiClip file into your System Folder and restart, and you're ready to start using MultiClip. You’ll need to consult at least the reference card to gel going. You invoke MultiClip's basic Copy, Cut, and Paste operations by adding the Option key to the usual keyboard combinations (Command-C, -X, and -V). To see and manipulate the ClipFrames, either type Option-Command-M or select MultiClip from the Apple menu.
ClipFrames can be rearranged (by dragging), removed or copied. You can do some editing of text, MacPaint, and PICT documents in the ClipFrames. ClipFrames that contain documents with mixed-format material (such as PageMaker documents) can be edited in either Text or Graphics mode, but you’ll lose the other material (for example, editing a mixed document in Text mode loses the graphics).
What you get to see is up to you. You can change the number of ClipFrames shown in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions (without scrolling): the range is 1 to 6 each way, so you can elect to show 1 to 36 ClipFrames at a time. Showing fewer ClipFrames improves the speed. The size of text in ClipFrames and the amount of reduction (if any) of graphics are both user-controlled.
A particularly nice feature is the ability to import Scrapbook files into MultiClip files. You can import whole Scrapbooks or, using the View button, import only selected items.
MultiClip comes with a good and complete manual (notwithstanding the lack of an index). A reference card clearly indicates all the commands and includes space for two custom sets of keyboard commands. The manual has a good troubleshooting section, and Olduvai offers capable telephone support. The manual doesn't mention a toll-free number, but there is one: (800) 822-0772.
I've customized my copy of MultiClip extensively. I have it set to Always On (in the Preferences on MultiClip's private File menu), which means that all normal Cuts, Copies, and Pastes go through MultiClip (so I don't need to remember press the Option key), and I've set the Paste mode to Reverse, so that the last item entered is the first Pasted. That makes MultiClip act like the regular Clipboard most of the time but gives me its extra power whenever 1 need it.
There isn't much I'd want changed or improved. Opening can be slow if you have lots of ClipFrames in the active file. And the occasional incompatibilities — which never caused crashes or data loss during my testing — are generally the fault of programs that don’t follow Apple's explicit programming guidelines. I would like MultiClip to be customized to take account of these known problems (private Clipboards in Word 3 and Illustrator, for example), but the program is already big, and I'd hate to see anything added that might reduce its excellent stability. The DA window can be enlarged, but, unfortunately, it doesn't remember its size and has to be enlarged each time it's opened. The dialog boxes and subwindows all appear on the main screen (if you use multiple monitors), regardless of where the DA window is placed. That can be awkward. None of these problems is serious.
Some users have reported conflicts with some programs. Although I've tried to recreate the problems, I’ve never been able to. I use MultiClip all the time,
Bobker, Steven. (September 1989). MultiClip. MacUser. (pgs. 82, 85, 87).
Olduvai Corporation
System
out of 10 (0 vote)
3 / 
2021-12-06 / 
b725a028b313850b02676f25bb3b7d098e345607 / 
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MultiClip_1.0.image_.zip
Emulating this? It could probably run under: 
Mini vMac
