Problems with Apple trackpad gestures, etc.

When running Windows XP Professional under Parallels 5 on a new MacBook Pro (w/Snow Leopard), the Apple trackpad gestures work differently with different browsers. When using Internet Explorer, all the gestures seem to work the same as they do in Safari and FireFox on the OS side. But when using Avant or Orca browsers, some gestures do not work. For instance, three-finger horizontal swipe (for doing backward/forward page flips) does not work with either of these two advanced browsers. The two-finger zoom gesture works perfectly in Internet Explorer and Orca, but not Avant. All other gestures seem to work properly.

Avant is a "shell" which "fits over" Internet Explorer (which is a user interface to Microsoft's Trident rendering engine). As such, most everything which works perfectly with IE will work perfectly with Avant. Orca is a shell/user interface to Mozilla's Gecko rendering engine. Avant and Orca are essentially the same program, and although they utilize different engines, they have the same user interface and can be expected to behave in the same way.

I configured Avant and Orca in the exact same way - yet they are working differently when running under Parallels 5. What transpires here, and what can be done about it??? I really need them to make use of the three-finger page flip gesture! That time-saving feature is one of the main reasons for purchasing a MacBook!

I've discovered another unpleasant difference in operation when running Avant and Orca under Parallels 5: When Windows is shut down, Avant closes properly, without asking any questions - as it should the way I have things configured. Orca, on the other hand, always brings up a little window, asking if I want to save the tabs and windows which are open. On this window is a little check box which, if checked, prompts Orca never to bring up this window again. Whether the little box is checked or not, the little window always pops up when Orca is being shut down. In both Avant and Orca the Exiting option is set as: "Automatically save all opened pages when exiting ........"

Another thing about Parallels, which I have been unable to work around, is this: When Windows applications are opened from their icons in the MacBook's Dock, most programs open full screen (as they are supposed to do). Avant, on the other hand, opens as a small window in the upper left side of the Desktop, and then has to be manually expanded to full screen. When Orca is opened from its Dock icon, it opens in a considerably larger window which is centered on the Desktop. Most other Windows applications open full screen. What could be the problem here???

Lest anyone is wondering why I would expend such effort trying to get Avant and Orca to run properly, instead of simply using IE or Firefox, the answer is simple: Efficiency. When doing hour upon hour of intense Internet research, often having a hundred or more web pages open at once, browsers like IE, FireFox, Opera, and especially Safari are simply too clumsy and time-consuming. Using them is painful; whereas the efficiency of Avant and Orca make browsing a pleasure! And the time-saving Apple trackpad gestures - if they could be made to fully work - would make these advanced browsers even more efficient than they already are.

Any advice for solving these problems would be extremely appreciated!

 

As far as I dimly recall mouse gestures are limited to particular programs in Parallels 5. I guess there's a knowledge base article on that somewhere here.

 

Hi Tom M,
Shaddam IV is right - gestures are limited to certain applications:
http://kb.parallels.com/en/6864