# Copying sets to the clipboard
When the current cursor mode is a selection mode the Edit > Copy (Ctrl+C) menu command copies the current selection set to the clipboard in GSA list format. This list may be pasted anywhere where a GSA list is expected. The list formed is a simple list made up of item numbers and ranges of numbers; no attempt is made to recognise, for example, patterns in the element properties or groups of selected elements.
Also, when in a selection mode the Edit > Paste (Ctrl+V) menu command pastes the list on the clipboard to the view by appending the items to the current selection set. In this circumstance items in the list may be separated by either spaces, tabs or may be on separate lines. An error message is given if the content of the clipboard is not a valid list.
Both Copy and Paste are also available on the Graphic view right-click menu when in a selection mode.
Nothing in a list held on the clipboard identifies the type of list so, for example, it is possible to copy a set of nodes and paste the resulting list to somewhere where an element list is expected. This is unlikely to be useful.