A new option to clear selections when they no longer reflect the contents of the clipboard

docs/changelog.rst

@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Do not count background processes by default for :opt:`confirm_os_window_close` (:iss:`8358`)
 
+- A new option :opt:`clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss` to clear selections when they no longer reflect the contents of the clipboard
+
 - Fix flickering of hyperlink underline when client program continuously
   redraws on mouse movement (:iss:`8414`)
 

kittens/hints/main.py

@@ -296,8 +296,10 @@ def linenum_handle_result(args: list[str], data: dict[str, Any], target_window_i
                         w.paste_bytes(text)
                     elif program == '@':
                         set_clipboard_string(text)
+                        boss.handle_clipboard_loss('clipboard')
                     elif program == '*':
                         set_primary_selection(text)
+                        boss.handle_clipboard_loss('primary')
                     elif program.startswith('@'):
                         boss.set_clipboard_buffer(program[1:], text)
             else:

kitty/boss.py

@@ -2243,6 +2243,7 @@ class Boss:
             text = w.text_for_selection()
             if text:
                 set_primary_selection(text)
+                self.handle_clipboard_loss('primary', w.id)
                 if get_options().copy_on_select:
                     self.copy_to_buffer(get_options().copy_on_select)
 
@@ -2280,8 +2281,10 @@ class Boss:
             if text:
                 if buffer_name == 'clipboard':
                     set_clipboard_string(text)
+                    self.handle_clipboard_loss('clipboard', w.id)
                 elif buffer_name == 'primary':
                     set_primary_selection(text)
+                    self.handle_clipboard_loss('primary', w.id)
                 else:
                     self.set_clipboard_buffer(buffer_name, text)
 
@@ -2508,8 +2511,10 @@ class Boss:
             if stdin:
                 if dest == 'clipboard':
                     set_clipboard_string(stdin)
+                    self.handle_clipboard_loss('clipboard')
                 else:
                     set_primary_selection(stdin)
+                    self.handle_clipboard_loss('primary')
         else:
             env, stdin = self.process_stdin_source(stdin=source, window=window)
             self.run_background_process(cmd, cwd_from=cwd_from, stdin=stdin, env=env)
@@ -3062,6 +3067,7 @@ class Boss:
         if w is not None:
             output = debug_config(get_options(), self.mappings.global_shortcuts)
             set_clipboard_string(re.sub(r'\x1b.+?m', '', output))
+            self.handle_clipboard_loss('clipboard')
             output += '\n\x1b[35mThis debug output has been copied to the clipboard\x1b[m'  # ]]]
             self.display_scrollback(w, output, title=_('Current kitty options'), report_cursor=False)
 
@@ -3112,4 +3118,12 @@ class Boss:
             cocoa_show_progress_bar_on_dock_icon()
 
     def on_clipboard_lost(self, which: Literal['clipboard', 'primary']) -> None:
-        pass
+        self.handle_clipboard_loss(which)
+
+    def handle_clipboard_loss(self, which: Literal['clipboard', 'primary'], exception: int = 0) -> None:
+        opts = get_options()
+        if opts.clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss and (which == 'primary' or opts.copy_on_select == 'clipboard'):
+            for wid, window in self.window_id_map.items():
+                if wid == exception:
+                    continue
+                window.screen.clear_selection()

kitty/launch.py

@@ -709,8 +709,10 @@ def _launch(
         if stdin is not None:
             if opts.type == 'clipboard':
                 set_clipboard_string(stdin)
+                boss.handle_clipboard_loss('clipboard')
             else:
                 set_primary_selection(stdin)
+                boss.handle_clipboard_loss('primary')
     else:
         kw['hold'] = opts.hold
         if force_target_tab and target_tab is not None:

kitty/options/definition.py

@@ -603,6 +603,17 @@ clipboard.
 '''
     )
 
+opt('clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss', 'no', option_type='to_bool', long_text='''
+When the contents of the clipboard no longer reflect the current selection, clear it.
+This is primarily useful on platforms such as Linux where selecting text automatically
+copies it to a special "primary selection" clipboard or if you have :opt:`copy_on_select`
+set to :code:`clipboard`.
+
+Note that on macOS the system does not provide notifications when the clipboard owner
+is changed, so there, copying to clipboard in a non-kitty application will not clear
+selections even if :opt:`copy_on_select` is enabled.
+''')
+
 opt('paste_actions', 'quote-urls-at-prompt,confirm',
     option_type='paste_actions',
     long_text='''

kitty/options/parse.py

@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ class Parser:
     def clear_all_shortcuts(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         clear_all_shortcuts(val, ans)
 
+    def clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
+        ans['clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss'] = to_bool(val)
+
     def click_interval(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['click_interval'] = float(val)
 

kitty/options/types.py

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ option_names = (
     'box_drawing_scale',
     'clear_all_mouse_actions',
     'clear_all_shortcuts',
+    'clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss',
     'click_interval',
     'clipboard_control',
     'clipboard_max_size',
@@ -500,6 +501,7 @@ class Options:
     box_drawing_scale: tuple[float, float, float, float] = (0.001, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0)
     clear_all_mouse_actions: bool = False
     clear_all_shortcuts: bool = False
+    clear_selection_on_clipboard_loss: bool = False
     click_interval: float = -1.0
     clipboard_control: tuple[str, ...] = ('write-clipboard', 'write-primary', 'read-clipboard-ask', 'read-primary-ask')
     clipboard_max_size: float = 512.0