Coherence Mode and Apple + Tab

If using Coherence mode should not Apple + Tab bring up the OS X application switcher?

Sometimes it does, other times it doesnt, I also notice that sometimes it stops working when running but not actually using Parrallels.

 

If it sometimes breaks when you dont even have parallels open... maybe you should look into whats causing it (besides parallels.) Do you have any other applications that may be interfering with your hot-keys?

 

Actually, this is the first time I have noticed it not work and it worked again once I switched to Parrallels and back to os x again.

So if it is something else I would say it was an amazing coincidence.

 

As for your experience with Command+Tab not working while Parallels is not the foreground application, I'm afraid I can't help because I haven't experienced that myself.

As for when Parallels is the foremost application, and using Coherence mode:

Maybe this has to do with where the mouse pointer is?

What I have found is that once you roll the mouse pointer off of a Coherence window and back on to a Mac background such that the mouse cursor turns from the white windows cursor back into the black Mac cursor, Command+Tab will bring up the application switcher as normal. If the mouse focus is on the coherence window, Command+Tab will no longer bring up the application switcher, as the Command (apple) key is remapped to the windows key.

What is strange is that in the situation I described above, when the mouse pointer "turns black" the keyboard input is still captured by the foremost Parallels window, so it is not as if the keyboard and mouse are being released at this point. Also, Command+H still works to hide Parallels no mater what color the mouse pointer is. Clearly I need to play around with Coherence more, as I have only just begun using it and it seems to have some quirks that require getting used to.

Remember, however, that Coherence is a feature that is still 'in beta' in the sense that it only exists in beta releases and not in any general release. Once the next official build of Parallels is released (which they have generously promised will be a 'dot' upgrade and therefore free for all current users) you can be sure that Coherence will be much more mature.

 

Its quirky alright

Yeah when Parrallels is the front most app I can sorta guess the behaviour, although I think in cohearence mode, if we will get applications on the dock then we should get the Apple task switcher, or atleast the choice to use it.

The minor bug I mentioned when it was not the front most app is indeed confusing to me also. I clicked around a few applications and nothing helped, Apple + Space still worked as I expected but Apple + Tab did nothing. I was thinking there might be an issue in the code which releases certain keyboard commands back to OS X, but I am finding it hard to reproduce with any real constancy.

Also yeah I would like to add that the new point release is looking amazing. I only realy use Parrallels for IE right now but with these changes and some new projects we have starting I will be using it a lot more than I do currently.

 

Well, whaddaya know . . .

Now I am experiencing the same thing as you, with Command+Tab failing to work while something other than Parallels is the active application (Parallels application running in the background). I have been testing this for the last half hour, trying to get some sort of consistent behaviour so that I can send an intelligent bug report to Parallels, but, like you said, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to when Command+Tab works and when it stops working.

I am going to keep playing with this to see if I can figure anything else out. Is anyone else out there experiencing this?

 

Well if you figure out a pattern please do let me know, it still alludes me.

 

Do you guys have "Enable access for assistive devices" on or off in OS X Settings > Universal Access

Mine is off ... this could possibly be related to this behaviour.

 

Bingo!

Turning off "Enable access for assistive devices" allows Apple+Tab to work even if Parallels has the focus.

 

Yes I have that setting on. Does this bring us few random people closer to a fix?

 

Not a solution...

I'm sorry but this is not a solution. TextExpander, a wonderfull application from SmileOnMyMac, requires assistive device to be turned on, and I can't live without this app, so please correct what I would call a bug, dear // devs

 

Yes, for the time being, turning off "Enable access for assistive devices" is the work around for this problem, but not a solution as many programs require this to be turned on to operate correctly.

Also as for why Command-Tab sometimes stops working, it is probably because certain Windows programs will steal focus away from your Mac App momentarily, and this is good enough to re-focus the keyboard/mouse to a VM, hence preventing Command-Tab to work. For example, HP drivers for some All-In-One printers do this about every 5-10 minutes. I'm not sure, but this could explain why Command-Tab stops working even when you are only using Mac apps, but while Parallels is running in the background.

If Command-Tab is failing while Parallels is not running, then it's not Parallels.

 

Issue persists in 3150 RC2

I have noticed this problem as well. It is still an issue in 3150 RC2. This is a major bug in coherence mode in that it completely prevents me from using it. I have learned to live with having to click outside of parallels to be able to switch desktops (VirtueDesktops), but having Parallels actively interrupt my work while I am doing things in OS X is a big problem.

Honestly, as I suggested before on this forum, I think Parallels should ignore the "access for assistive devices" setting. That setting is NOT meant to drive application behavior, it is for supporting assistive devices. If parallels wants to have a toggle in its own preferences that controls what "access for assistive devices" currently controls, then fine, but don't hijack a perfectly good system preference for your own purposes, thereby preventing ALL of your users from using it for its intended purpose.

Leaving this at its current behavior is not only alienating all users of other apps that need this setting, but effectively alienating all of your disabled users. I'm sure that is not what the developers want.

This issue has gone completely ignored by Parallels so far and I think it deserves a response. PLEASE, Parallels, behave like the honorable, quality app we all want you to be.

 

Reported to [email protected]

Had someone reported this to [email protected]?? This functionality is really rather annoying.

In addition to Apple-Tab not working there's also a major problem with Parallels and Expose. Occasionally I need to make Parallels the foreground application in order for Expose to start working again.

This isn't cool.

 

I reported it for 3150, still broken in 3170.

 

Still Broken - 6 Months Later

Still broken as of build 3188.

 

I don't know that I would say that it's broken; rather, I think that it follows the Windows style of execution and process control and that is different from Mac OS does and what Mac OS users expect it to do. This goes along with this phenomenon being tied to CERTAIN Windows programs and how they actively "grab" focus.