How to use Application.DisplayPasteOptions in the xlwings API way

The Application.DisplayPasteOptions property in Excel is a member of the Application object model that controls the visibility of the Paste Options button, which appears after a paste operation in the Excel user interface. This button provides users with a dropdown menu of context-specific paste formatting choices, such as keeping source formatting, matching destination formatting, or pasting values only. In xlwings, a powerful Python library for automating Excel, you can access and manipulate this property to either show or hide this button programmatically, allowing for a cleaner or more guided user experience during automation scripts. This is particularly useful when you want to suppress the button to prevent user distraction or ensure consistency in automated reports.

Functionality
The primary function of DisplayPasteOptions is to toggle the display of the Paste Options button (also known as the “smart tag”) that appears after performing a paste action in Excel. When enabled, users can click this button to select various paste special options. When disabled, the button does not appear, which can streamline the interface during automated processes. In xlwings, you can get or set this property to control this behavior directly from your Python code.

Syntax in xlwings
The property is accessed through the app object, which represents the Excel Application. The syntax is straightforward:

app.display_paste_options

This property is a Boolean value. You can read it to check the current state or assign a value to change it.

• Getting the property: current_state = app.display_paste_options
• Setting the property: app.display_paste_options = False (to hide the button) or app.display_paste_options = True (to show the button).

Parameters and Values
The property does not take additional parameters. It simply accepts or returns a Boolean:

• True: The Paste Options button will be displayed after a paste operation.
• False: The Paste Options button will not be displayed.

Code Examples
Here are practical examples using xlwings to work with the DisplayPasteOptions property:

1. Check the Current Setting:

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active

# Get the current state of DisplayPasteOptions
status = app.display_paste_options
print(f"Paste Options button is currently displayed: {status}")

2. Hide the Paste Options Button:

import xlwings as xw

# Start a new Excel instance (or connect to active)
app = xw.App(visible=True)

# Hide the Paste Options button
app.display_paste_options = False

# Now perform some paste operation (e.g., via Range.copy and Range.paste)
wb = app.books.add()
sheet = wb.sheets[0]
sheet.range('A1').value = 'Source Data'
sheet.range('A1').copy(sheet.range('B1'))
# After this paste, the Paste Options button will not appear

# Keep Excel open for observation
input("Press Enter to close...")
wb.close()
app.quit()

3. Toggle Based on Condition:

import xlwings as xw

app = xw.apps.active

# Suppose we want to hide the button only if a specific condition is met
if some_condition: # Replace with your actual condition
    app.display_paste_options = False
else:
    app.display_paste_options = True

# This allows dynamic control during a script's execution.