Details on USB 2.0 support in version 3.0

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by red, Jun 5, 2007.

  1. red

    red Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    So I got the postcard in the mail today informing me of the upgrade. It said it offers wider USB 2.0 support (something I have wanted since the day I installed Parallels) and I'd like some details on this before shelling out $40. The website says it supports "popular" devices like printers and cameras (mine already work), but is there any way to determine if a particular device will work before upgrading? I just want to know if I'll get pressure recognition with my Wacom tablet. I'm sure I can look up hardware specs if that's what I need to know. It sounds promising, but I don't want to waste my money.
     
  2. John the Geek

    John the Geek Member

    Messages:
    74
    Re: Wacom

    I got it to work in 2.x by writing an AppleScript to kill the driver in Mac OS X. You can't give hardware to Windows that the Mac has control of already. After I killed the Mac driver the tablet worked in XP with pressure sensetivity.

    The only problem (and still a major problem) was I had lost the curser in Parallels because the mouse didn't follow the stylus even if the Wacom drivers were installed in XP.

    I'd love to play with OpenCanvas in VM, but if my tablet doesn't come for the ride it's not worth it.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2007
  3. red

    red Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Hmm, do you have the script handy? I have to say that I have no idea how to write them. Would it work if I had simply not installed the tablet driver in OS X?

    When did you lose your cursor? And what do you have to do to get it back?
     
  4. John the Geek

    John the Geek Member

    Messages:
    74
    Ok, it's actually two scripts to do it right:

    Code:
    do shell script "killall TabletDriver"
    Download the Quit Wacom Script Application.

    And another script to start the tablet driver up again in Mac OS X once you're done in Windows.

    Code:
    tell application "Finder"
    	open "Mac OS X:Library:StartupItems:Tablet:TabletDriver"
    end tell
    Download the Launch Wacom Script Application.

    I never had the mouse curser follow my stylus at all in Windows so drawing in Photoshop was impossible because I never knew where the pen would draw. I got around it by reaching for the mouse, but that defeated the purpose.

    This was a while ago too... maybe they fixed it? Give it a try, send the USB tablet to VM, and let me know if you get any better results.
     
  5. red

    red Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Thanks, I'll give it a shot.
     
  6. John the Geek

    John the Geek Member

    Messages:
    74
    Still Broke in 3.0. I need to find a way to submit this as a bug.

    - First I kill the Wacom TabletDriver in Mac OS X. (do shell script "killall TabletDriver")

    - Then assign the USB Tablet to XP with the Windows Wacom Driver installed.

    - Tablet works, but the Stylus has no curser! (I can't see where it is located on the screen) The curser stays put because the mouse is not moving. Unplugging the mouse has no effect though.

    Interesting enough, the tablet is mapped only to the Windows screen and cannot leave the Parallels window. (After I thought about it though, that's expected behavior given the Wacom driver settings.)

    So, no OpenCanvas for me, not yet at least.

    =(
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2007
  7. SeekerBlog

    SeekerBlog Member

    Messages:
    36
    Good work John - clever!

    Steve
     

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