Is it possible to not copy numeration using lstlisting?

Question

Please consider the following MWE:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[spanish]{babel}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{enumitem}

\usepackage{listings}

\definecolor{codegreen}{rgb}{0,0.6,0}
\definecolor{codegray}{rgb}{0.5,0.5,0.5}
\definecolor{codepurple}{rgb}{0.58,0,0.82}
\definecolor{backcolour}{rgb}{0.95,0.95,0.92}

\lstset {%
    backgroundcolor=\color{backcolour},
    commentstyle=\color{codegreen},
    keywordstyle=\color{magenta},
    stringstyle=\color{codepurple},
    basicstyle=\scriptsize,
    breakatwhitespace=false,
    breaklines=true,
    captionpos=b,
    keepspaces=true,
    numbers=left,
    numbersep=5pt,
    showspaces=false,
    showstringspaces=false,
    showtabs=false,
    tabsize=2,
    %columns=fullflexible,
    keepspaces=true,
    language=C++,
    columns=flexible,
    %numberstyle=\noncopynumber                             % 1. If this line is only uncommented it produces 6 errors
    %numberstyle=\tiny\color{codegray}                      % 2. If this line is only uncommented it compiles
    %numberstyle=\tiny\color{codegray}\noncopynumber        % 3. If this line is only uncommented it produces 6 errors
}

%\newcommand{\noncopynumber}[1]{%                           % Answer
    %\BeginAccSupp{method=escape,ActualText={}}%
    %#1%
    %\EndAccSupp{}%
%}

%\makeatletter                                              % Answer
%\def\lst@outputspace{{\ifx\lst@bkgcolor\empty\color{white}\else\lst@bkgcolor\fi\lst@visiblespace}}
%\makeatother


\begin{document}

\begin{lstlisting}
Example code line 1
*
... and 3
\end{lstlisting}

\end{document}

When I compile it using LaTeX->PS->PDF the output is very fancy:

However, when I am going to copy the text and paste it into a compiler (or anywhere else):

I tried the Martin Scharrer solution with differents options:

1. (Martin Scharrer solution)

2. (added by me)

3. (suggested by TeXnician answer)

As you can see the problem is that the reference numbers (1, 2 and 3) are copied from PDF to any text editor even with the proposed solution.

I also take a look here, here and here but it does not work for me too (by the way please check that solutions).

I have code around all the full document.

Is there any easy solution to this problem?

Thanks!

EDIT: TeXnician's solution works for me as long as I keep the PDF file on my computer without sharing it via the Internet. However, when I try to upload it to, for example, Outlook his solution is without effect. You can see the reproduction in this gif (use fullscreen mode to see better the selected text in both PDF).

EDIT 2: also tested the Werner solution in Is there a LaTeX trick to prevent a PDF viewer from copying the line number? (adding \protect command inside the new command of TeXnician and/or renewing the \thelstnumber command) with the same results.

Answer 1

You have one obvious problem in your code: You set numberstyle to make it non-copyable and then you reset it with fancy font stuff. Any option is overwritten at a later use. The effects do not add up. So you need that one line: numberstyle=\tiny\color{codegray}\noncopynumber.

A true MWE showing how to apply your macro would be

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{enumitem}

\usepackage{listings}

\usepackage{accsupp}
\newcommand{\noncopynumber}[1]{%
    \BeginAccSupp{method=escape,ActualText={}}%
    #1%
    \EndAccSupp{}%
}

\lstset {%
    numbers = left,%
    numberstyle=\tiny\noncopynumber
}

\begin{document}

\begin{lstlisting}
Example code line 1
*
... and 3
\end{lstlisting}

\end{document}

Concerning your problem with the asterisk I don't know what you literate, but using the proper unicode code point with {*}{{\char"002A}}1 (or alternatively \**) gives the correct char which can be copied as you would expect it to be copied.