Which VM is started when?

In 3.0 it is possible to double click an .exe on the OSX desktop, this subssequently starts the VM.

Question: how can I control which VM (I have several) is started?

 

I think this actually a very good question ! If anyone has an insight to this, it would be very great (& @parallels, can you help with this one ?)

 

Open the Parallels menu panel and it will tell you.

 

You are really a great help!


I suppose you mean the menu bar or whatever and do you mind telling me where to look? Because when I start Parallels then all menu items are greyed out!

 

In the Parallels File -> Open menu all your VM's will be shown. The running VM will be greyed out.

Edit: Also, in OS view the name of the current VM is in the title bar.

 

If so, then it is a useless feature, Because it means I will first have to start Parallels and a specific VM or at least check whether the correct VM is running.

It would seem to me that it is only usefull if I can tell parallels whci VM it should start when an .exe is doubleclicked.

 

I'm just the messenger. I can't think of a way to tell Parallels which VM is the correct one - perhaps it is a part of the association process. Click right on a application icon in OS X and see what it says about info or properties.

 

It is very simple!

Parallels should have an entry in the preferences where one can define which VM is to start when one doubleclick an .exe file on the OSX desktop.

This "feature" was introduced in 3.0 but apparently someone just wanted a "feature" and no one thought about the question whether it was usefull or useless.

 

I can think of many ways it could be done - I'm just wondering now how it is done since you brought it up. I have solved the question of knowing which one is running after an application has started. Your original question was a bit ambiguous as to that matter, but now that we've cleared that up you do have a good question which is, "If I launch a Windows application from OS X with a Parallels environment that has multiple Windows VM's, which VM is selected to run that application and can I force it to run in a preferred VM?".

 

That would be an awesome thing to get right. I have 3 XP VMs and several non Windows VMs. A little check box of some kind would do nicely... since I do not want to start my NON WORKING VM at this time...

 

It would just totally crack me up to learn that it just "bats through the rotation" of available VM's.

Note to overseas visitors: Batting through the rotation is a baseball term that means all team players have had a turn at bat during an inning. Now if you don't know what an "at bat" means, or an "inning" for that matter I haven't helped at all, but I was thinking of you.

 

Perfect way to state it!

 

dkp, you crack me up !!

LOL