Virtue Desktops and RC Full-Screen issue

Tony - thanks for offering help! We will discuss this issue internally first and then will contact you to find a way of better integration.

 

Parallels---as I suggested earlier, why don't you provide the developer of Virtue with a bit of financial support? In exchange you can request some sort of small change or accomodation that lets you integrate Parallels with it better. Heaven knows, Virtue is not perfect either, though it's pretty darn useful, and it is under continuous development. I'm sure the author can slip in a change that helps Parallels work with it better.

 

Then don't put any OS X windows on top of your Parallels session. You have the option. The way it is now, it forces your behavior on everyone and causes all sorts of peripheral troubles (Dashboard, iChat, etc.)

Alternatively, the could an an "always on top" checkbox. But there's no good reason to insist on that behavior to be the only choice. Always on top is a very rare thing, for good reason.

 

No, it is only on top when it is full screen. You are still free to run it in a window and put whatever you want on top then.

The fact that ALL keys are now being trapped is causing much more problems. Even if you have Parallels in a window you still can't Apple-Tab or Apple-anything else.

 

I finally figured out why my system isnt dropping out of full screen mode. If you have an external monitor set up, then Parallels stays in full screen mode even if you change desktops. WHich is interesting, but not useful, because if you have an external monitor hooked up, you don't need to switch desktops.

Michael

 

I'm guessing one of the reasons for this change is due to the wierd keybord problems that would happen when switching from Parallels to other applications, i.e. having to press ctrl or shift or something when switching back to Parallels because it is stuck on. I'm not sure if it's possible or if this is even the reason for the change, but could you somehow keep track of keys that are down and haven't been released and then simulate a release when losing focus?

 

Client tools updated.

Virtue uses Shift-alt- Arrows. Using alt-enter for Parallels.

 

focus seemed work work fine in beta6. Maybe I just didn't experience any of the problems others reported. Maybe you could just include a switch that lets users choose desired behaviour on loss of focus in full-screen.

 

Mine drops out too. Other bugs.

I have the same issue with Virtue, I hope that it gets fixed because I really liked the ability that I had with the beta 5. another problem when using virtue is when I flip to my Windows XP screen, my start menu pops up. this is very annoying. can I go back to beta 5?

Mouse cursor is hidden on full screen mode. Bad

thanks
KRC

 

I just made a custom resolution that fills up as much screen as possible. This isn't the best fix, but it works OK for now. I am on a 15" MBP and set the resolution to 1440x848. I also don't show the toolbar in PW.

 

I used good old "Hide" command in beta 6, instead of Virtue. Not as fancy, but quick and no virtual desktops to worry about (I don't like them).

Hiding is however also broken in the RC. Both because Parallels has locked up the key command to hide, and because Parallels goes flickering out of full screen and into window mode when I do it.

--

I understand the focus on making the guest OS experience as complete as possible, but really - if I wanted that I'd go dual-boot. Parallell is the keyword for your advantage, or at least the part that attracts me with a VM solution. The experience of having Windows and MacOS on the same machine, at the same time, and being able to switch instantly and seamlessly between them.

All in all, what I'd really like is to have Parallels boot Windows into fullscreen without changing resolution. When Windows is running I'd like a global hotkey to Hide Parallels/Windows (instantly), and continue with my Mac apps. And in the same manner I'd like to instantly switch back to Parallels in full-screen and continue working in Windows.

 

As usual it's good to see Parallels people posting on this important issue.

I'm going to stick with beta 6 until this is fixed, because I'm used to the elegance of [shift]+[ctrl]+[side arrow] to instantly swap between Parallels and the rest of the mac.

Look forward to testing RC1.1 !

 

What you just described is the VirtueDesktops/Parallels solution where there is an instantanious hiding of the parallels VM without a change in screen res, right back to OSX and visa versa. This functionality is now broken in RC1. Get beta 6 and Virtue Desktop, and setup one additional virtual desktop and assign parallels to that desktop. Now open parallels in full screen in the second desktop, and use CMD(apple)-Tab to flip back to OSX...its a really cool instant experiance that is the perfect mix of usability and versitility. It takes a bit of tweaking in Virtue, but its worth the time. Maybe someone should setup a wiki for this kind of setup?

-J

 

jtenenb:
Yes, I was happily working like that in beta 6, although not with Virtue. Just Apple-H and it goes hidden. And I have a full mac desktop on the screen. Apple-Tab to it or a click in the dock and Windows is back on top in full screen.

I only tried RC1 for 5 minutes, realised that all this was broken and went back to beta 6.

 

That would be a good solution (user preference in Parallels). Being able to use Virtue is a very important feature for me. I think it will also be an important feature for winning new Parallels customers. Switching between full screen Mac OSX and Windows in Parallels has a definite WOW! factor that already has some of my Windows using friends thinking "maybe I should buy a Mac (and Parallels)"!

 

What are the client tools?

 

Maverick,

Have you ever tried that before (using MS Remote Desktop Client which does it for instance)?
It is very comfortable and should really be tried.
I wish this mode could be given as an option in the VM configuration.

 

As a work-around, set your VM to Guest OS "Other" instead of "Windows".
You'll be able to Apple-Tab at will. Windowed or full-screened.

 

Argh! I just got around to trying VirtueDesktops only to find parallels is now broken. Cr@p.

So there's currently no workaround? This build will always fall out of full screen when switching desktops?

-_-

Yeah, I'd like to see Parallels leave this feature to other vendors, not try and integrate it in poorly. The full-screen-cube effect is so crippled with resolution changes it looses it's effect. i'd rather stay with the VirtueDesktops method.

And while I'm thinking about it. Why switch resolution at all when going to full screen? Why couldn't you just cube over into the lower resolution natively (IE: a screen with lots of black space around it, instead of stretching it out) and then change the Windows resolution to match it? The delay seems to be with the Mac switching resolutions to stretch the smaller PC window, then the PC switching back to the Mac's native resolution... Seems like twice the work. I'm not programmer, maybe it has to be that way? I'm not sure.

Anyway, what I'd like is to go fullscreen at Parallels launch and stay that way until I quit, while switching back and forth to the Mac using a technology like VirtueDesktops.

If parallels wants to build it all in one app, I'm all for it, but take your time and do it right. For now, Virtue has the effect down perfect!

=)
-John (Who has complete faith in the product, and already pre-ordered.)

 

Right now they go into full screen mode and then change the guest resolution. Thist causes all sorts of strange behavior that many people have reported. If they would just change resolutions first and then go to full screen mode it would work more cleanly.

THis has been broken and reported for several betas. For some reason Parallels has not acknogleded any of the posts about it (either to explain why they are doing it this or to say they plan to fix it).

Michael