Data transfer: A longitudinal analysis of clipboard and drag-and-drop use in desktop applications

Jonathan Woodruff; Jason Alexander

doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005

Data transfer: A longitudinal analysis of clipboard and drag-and-drop use in desktop applications

Jonathan Woodruff
, Jason Alexander

Lancaster University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (SciVal)

139 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Data transfer within and between desktop applications facilitates efficient data-centric tasks on modern computer operating systems. This data can be transferred via the clipboard (cut, copy, paste) or through more direct drag-and-drop actions. This paper presents results gathered during a 90-day longitudinal log study of 17 participants’ clipboard and drag-and-drop interactions. The paper characterises the frequency, time and type of actions, interaction mechanism, and whether the users’ computer configuration affects these findings. We found clipboard operations are more common than drag-and-drop operations (and drag-and-drop is rarely used by some participants), most data transfer occurs on the same screen for multi-screen users, clipboard and drag-and-drop operations are used for different applications and the applications used for clipboard operations align with previously reported results.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	112-120
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Human-Computer Studies
Volume	132
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2019

Bibliographical note

This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 132, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005

Keywords

Clipboard
Copy-and-paste
Drag-and-drop
Desktop interaction
Data transfer
Multiple screens

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10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005

IJHCS_DataTransferAccepted author manuscript, 333 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Data transfer: A longitudinal analysis of clipboard and drag-and-drop use in desktop applications",

abstract = "Data transfer within and between desktop applications facilitates efficient data-centric tasks on modern computer operating systems. This data can be transferred via the clipboard (cut, copy, paste) or through more direct drag-and-drop actions. This paper presents results gathered during a 90-day longitudinal log study of 17 participants{\textquoteright} clipboard and drag-and-drop interactions. The paper characterises the frequency, time and type of actions, interaction mechanism, and whether the users{\textquoteright} computer configuration affects these findings. We found clipboard operations are more common than drag-and-drop operations (and drag-and-drop is rarely used by some participants), most data transfer occurs on the same screen for multi-screen users, clipboard and drag-and-drop operations are used for different applications and the applications used for clipboard operations align with previously reported results.",

keywords = "Clipboard, Copy-and-paste, Drag-and-drop, Desktop interaction, Data transfer, Multiple screens",

author = "Jonathan Woodruff and Jason Alexander",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005",

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AB - Data transfer within and between desktop applications facilitates efficient data-centric tasks on modern computer operating systems. This data can be transferred via the clipboard (cut, copy, paste) or through more direct drag-and-drop actions. This paper presents results gathered during a 90-day longitudinal log study of 17 participants’ clipboard and drag-and-drop interactions. The paper characterises the frequency, time and type of actions, interaction mechanism, and whether the users’ computer configuration affects these findings. We found clipboard operations are more common than drag-and-drop operations (and drag-and-drop is rarely used by some participants), most data transfer occurs on the same screen for multi-screen users, clipboard and drag-and-drop operations are used for different applications and the applications used for clipboard operations align with previously reported results.

KW - Clipboard

KW - Copy-and-paste

KW - Drag-and-drop

KW - Desktop interaction

KW - Data transfer

KW - Multiple screens

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005

DO - 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2019.08.005

M3 - Article

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VL - 132

SP - 112

EP - 120

JO - International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

JF - International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

ER -

Data transfer: A longitudinal analysis of clipboard and drag-and-drop use in desktop applications

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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