PD12 Messes Up Multiple Monitors

Guys, sorry for this confusion. There are several issues with the view modes, some of them were fixed in the released 12.0.2 hotfix, but some are not yet.

Let me please clarify the situation a bit. Up to 11th version, we have used our custom Full Screen mode in Parallels Desktop for Mac, which basically did not use system's native Full Screen, but instead, we were just showing a borderless window resized to full display size. It had its benefits, but in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac we dropped support for non-native macOS Full Screen mode, as it caused a lot more issues while playing games, working in CAD software and in similar use cases.

Once Parallels Desktop for Mac switched to native macOS Full Screen mode, the behavior changed: now instead of the VM on external display a black screen appeared - and this is native macOS behavior. Try to enter Full Screen mode with TextEdit - you will get the same black screen. Why macOS disables the second display? God knows.. There are a lot of discussions on Internet about that:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3196329?start=0
http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...-2-when-an-application-is-maximized-on-monito

To make two displays having separate spaces in macOS, Apple developed an option in System Preferences (thanks to them) - Displays have separate spaces. After enabling this option (don't forget to log in/out) you won't get this black screen anymore - the external display will have its own macOS space. If you'd like to have your VM on both displays - enable 'Use All Displays in Full Screen' option in VM 'View' menu (see http://kb.parallels.com/en/111936)

If this is not your issue, but you have multiple black spaces named with Parallels Desktop on one or several monitors - this is indeed an issue with our software, and we are already investigating that. I'm sorry for all this mess with the view modes, I hope you're gonna love other improvements we made in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac.
 
Thanks for the reply. I am unsure if your reply indicates the behaviour I would like is working, therefore, can you tell me before I update to PD 12 again:
Will I be able to swipe once and all three screens move in sync rather than to have to swipe each one in turn. I have the same issue that TheodoreP1 wrote about here: Clip:
"I now need to swipe each monitor to change its space instead of just doing it once for all three monitors. This is not ideal but is workable until a better solution comes along."
I suspect this is the main issue that everyone is having on this post. If each screen is independent then it makes it almost unworkable if you are running several VM's at a time.
Can you reply ASAp please as we've all been waiting a while now to have this resolved.
Thanks
 
Hi Ken,

Indeed, the 'swipe between full-screen apps' behavior is different when you enable 'Display have separate spaces' option: as every display has its own spaces, switching between spaces is separate for every display.

Yes, it's probably not very convenient, but this is how macOS behaves natively, and Parallels Desktop is just an application for Mac, no matter how you slice it..
 
Hi - Thanks again for your swift response.
I re-read your response and I get the impression we are all talking about the issue you mention in your final paragraph?
"If this is not your issue, but you have multiple black spaces named with Parallels Desktop on one or several monitors - this is indeed an issue with our software, and we are already investigating that. I'm sorry for all this mess with the view modes, I hope you're gonna love other improvements we made in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac."
I think when you fix this we'll all be a lot happier - I hope? Is there a timescale for this?
Ken
 
Dmitry@Parallels Im doing ok now with the new display setting with all the workarounds we have found. The one thing that is still driving me insane is whenever i swipe between VM's I cant get the new VM to come into focus i cant click anything on the VM i have to go to the menu bar up top click then go back to the Vm to get control. Also when this happens if i dont click like a wild man at first when i swipe to a new screen i get automatically swiped back to the previous screen. I have tried all setting already and ever created a few new VM's and reinstalled parallels tools and even reinstalled Parallels Desktop 12.0.2 twice. This is defiantly a software bug. is there a scheduled fix or timeline?
 
Ken5 said:
Hi - Thanks again for your swift response.
I re-read your response and I get the impression we are all talking about the issue you mention in your final paragraph?
"If this is not your issue, but you have multiple black spaces named with Parallels Desktop on one or several monitors - this is indeed an issue with our software, and we are already investigating that. I'm sorry for all this mess with the view modes, I hope you're gonna love other improvements we made in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac."
I think when you fix this we'll all be a lot happier - I hope? Is there a timescale for this?
Ken
Click to expand...

This particular issue is under the investigation yet, but please be sure that we are constantly working on the new updates and hotfixes for Parallels Desktop. For example, we just released a hotfix for Parallels Desktop 11 which includes over fifty bugfixes. Now we're planning to release a new update for Parallels Desktop 12 in the nearest future.
 
Dustin@ProductExpert said:
Dmitry@Parallels Im doing ok now with the new display setting with all the workarounds we have found. The one thing that is still driving me insane is whenever i swipe between VM's I cant get the new VM to come into focus i cant click anything on the VM i have to go to the menu bar up top click then go back to the Vm to get control. Also when this happens if i dont click like a wild man at first when i swipe to a new screen i get automatically swiped back to the previous screen. I have tried all setting already and ever created a few new VM's and reinstalled parallels tools and even reinstalled Parallels Desktop 12.0.2 twice. This is defiantly a software bug. is there a scheduled fix or timeline?
Click to expand...

Hi Dustin, can you, please, reproduce this issue, submit a problem report and send me the ID in a private message? I will make sure to prioritize this with the QA team. Thanks in advance!
 
Ok. So it looks like using the native Mac full-screen behavior starting with PD 12 is the culprit here. I understand a lot of this is in Apple's hands. But I will need to stick with PD 11 until we can have the same behavior in PD 12 with some kind of work-around. I really don't want to align 3 monitors manually for each VM. They should all swipe together. Worked perfectly fine in PD 11.

May I ask what benefits did we achieve by using native Mac full-screen behavior??
 
SreechandraD said:
May I ask what benefits did we achieve by using native Mac full-screen behavior??
Click to expand...

The benefits are still letting the software run on macOS Sierra and not completely breaking in the next beta update thereby causing even more complaints than this about not working.

Take it from a fellow macOS developer, you do not want to be caught using deprecated APIs. A random un-related update will completely make your software useless, then you have to scurry and completely rewrite a module (something like full screen support isn't exactly a small project) in hopes that you don't lose all your customers because an apple update broke everything.

You want vendors to constantly be up to date with Apple's design and API updates. A lot of these "bugs" are actually designs by Apple, wish I was kidding.
 
Thank you for your response. I fully understand with keeping up with the times.

I hope Parallels will continue to support PD 11 on Sierra as long as possible so those of us who need this functionality can have it. This will be the end of the line for Parallels upgrades for me.
 
Requesting users change functionality that impacts how their system works even when your app is not running is not a very good thing to do.
 
I'm having the same issue, but I upgraded from parallels 9 all the way to 12. I need to get a copy of parallels 11 because switching each display individually sucks. I like keeping my projects in separate spaces and seamlessly switching back and forth between them.

Where can I go to get parallels 11? I love the service parallels provides, and I don't care if I have to pay for it again to get a version that works; I just want to be able to use parallels with OS Sierra and have it function correctly.
 
JustinE2 said:
I'm having the same issue, but I upgraded from parallels 9 all the way to 12. I need to get a copy of parallels 11 because switching each display individually sucks. I like keeping my projects in separate spaces and seamlessly switching back and forth between them.

Where can I go to get parallels 11? I love the service parallels provides, and I don't care if I have to pay for it again to get a version that works; I just want to be able to use parallels with OS Sierra and have it function correctly.
Click to expand...

I found this link on Parallel's website for the 11th edition, and it completely fixed my problem, but my liscense key that I bought for version 12 doesn't work with 11, so I need to know where I can get a license key for the older version.
 
Okay, I bought a pro license and Parallels 11 accepted it. It would be nice if I could get a refund on the license I initially bought for Parallels 12, since it doesn't work properly, and I can't use it, and since my pro license entitles me to update for free, once this issue gets fixed. I'll send an email later and see what we can work out.

As far as keeping up with Apple's changes go, you guys have done the best job of any independent company, that I have ever seen. Of course, its to be expected from a company that can get Windows to run! I'm confident you guys will get this squared away soon.

Thanks,
 
I want to confirm one other behavior with everyone.

Even if I succumb to the native full screen feature in my 3 monitor setup (and obviously check Displays have separate spaces to avoid the black screens), I am still having to click each VM monitor before using. Meaning, my mouse pointer is the black MacOS pointer until I click in the VM monitor to make it the white windows pointer and activate the monitor for use. And moving the mouse directly to another VM monitor within the same VM also requires a click to make it active.

Anyone else get this behavior? This is very annoying with the extra-clicks. I wouldn't have to do this in a multi-monitor Bootcamp setup. I understand the need for deprecating the wonderful custom non-native Full Screen mode they were previously using, but this mouse behavior needs to be seamless.
 
Has this been fixed yet. It seems it hasn't.

If Parallels wants to only use the Mac OS X fullscreen mode, then Paralllels needs to get onto Apple and find a solution. Even if this involves changes to the system.

Otherwise, I and perhaps many others are going to have to investigate alternate solutions, which most likely, will not involve parallels.
 
Joining this discussion as I have similar issues with my workflow on PD12. I can only choose between 2 suboptimal situations:
  • Enable "Displays have seperate Spaces" which means I have to switch both my left and right monitor seperately
  • Disable "Displays have seperate Spaces" which means I have a black screen on the right whenever I'm on the PD12 Space
I submitted a bug report and it's going to be fixed in a future update. I hope it can be fixed because part of the issue is caused by how OS X works. Will stay with PD11 until it's fixed.

BTW. Does anyone have any experiences with macOS Sierra? Does this still have the black screen when "Displays have seperate spaces" is disabled?
 
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Mine is a bit different. Dual monitors Mac Pro 2010 with NVida card and Sierra. Worked great till the Parallels Toolbox update. Now when it goes to sleep, the monitors stay black. I can beat the keys or move the mouse.. no effect. If I power the monitors off then on in a certain order, I can see the screen flicker into view then back to black and then I can get it back.. one screen at a time. If I shutdown Parallels toolbox, No issue at all. Even with Parallels running my normal Windows 7 desktop. It's ONLY the PArallels toolbox app causing me headaches.
 
I think if your problem is different, the best thing to do is find a thread with people that have the same problem or start a new thread yourself. Contacting Parallels support can be helpful too.
 
JanV1 said:
Joining this discussion as I have similar issues with my workflow on PD12. I can only choose between 2 suboptimal situations:
  • Enable "Displays have seperate Spaces" which means I have to switch both my left and right monitor seperately
  • Disable "Displays have seperate Spaces" which means I have a black screen on the right whenever I'm on the PD12 Space
I submitted a bug report and it's going to be fixed in a future update. I hope it can be fixed because part of the issue is caused by how OS X works. Will stay with PD11 until it's fixed.

BTW. Does anyone have any experiences with macOS Sierra? Does this still have the black screen when "Displays have seperate spaces" is disabled?
Click to expand...
Mac Sierra is not different regarding this particular issue
 
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