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# NSPasteboardItemDataProvider

A set of methods implemented by the data provider of a pasteboard item to provide the data for a particular UTI type.

```
protocol NSPasteboardItemDataProvider : NSObjectProtocol
```

## Overview

You can specify an object as a pasteboard data provider for a pasteboard item using [`NSPasteboardItem`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboardItem)’s [`setDataProvider(_:forTypes:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboardItem/setDataProvider(_:forTypes:)) method. The data provider must implement this protocol to provide data upon request.

## Topics

### Providing Data

[`pasteboard(_:item:provideDataForType:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboardItemDataProvider/pasteboard(_:item:provideDataForType:))

Asks the receiver to provide data for a specified type to a given pasteboard.

[`pasteboardFinishedWithDataProvider(_:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSPasteboardItemDataProvider/pasteboardFinishedWithDataProvider(_:))

Informs the receiver that the pasteboard no longer needs the data provider for any of its pasteboard items.


---

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