Would like to be able to have Mac OS control function keys, again.

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by plazmyd, Oct 14, 2006.

  1. plazmyd

    plazmyd Junior Member

    Messages:
    10
    Parallels used to the Mac OS control the function keys. For example I could press F1 and activate a Mac application called Mouseposé, a cursor highlighting application. I could also activate the built in Mac Exposé features. With a recent update this functionality was ‘fixed’ to allow the guest OS to control the function keys... Does anyone know of a way to change the settings to allow the function keys be controlled by the Mac OS again?

    I know many people saw this as a broken thing, but it was very useful to me. Please take a look at the link below to see what I mean. That was before a recent update. Now when I press F1, a "Help and Support Center" windows appears in XP rather than the spotlight Mouseposé feature being activated as shown in the video.

    Best Regards,
    Matt

    http://web.mac.com/matthew.robert/iWeb/Parallels/problem.html
     
  2. joem

    joem Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,247
    For myself, proper operation would be defined as when the mouse pointer is inside the guest window, all keystrokes except leave full screen should go to the guest. When the pointer is outside the guest window, all keystrokes should go to the host.

    The idea that a Windows guest should behave like a Mac is wrong, wrong, wrong. For testing guest software, it is NECESSARY that ALL keys be available to the guest.

    When the guest has focus, you are using a different machine, not a Mac, and Mac things should not work.
     
  3. plazmyd

    plazmyd Junior Member

    Messages:
    10
    I appreciate the sharing of your thoughts on what is proper operation for you Joem, but that does not really help me. I am not interested in testing guest OS software, I am interesting in using both systems software together. I would just like to have the option to set the function keys to be controlled by the Mac OS which was extremely functional for me when I used that 'feature' before it was fixed. Did anyone else besides me use dashboard when running XP full screen?

    Another potential fix for my problem would be if anyone can suggest a Mouseposé alternative in Windows.

    Incidentally, does anyone have any suggestions on actually contacting and/or receiving support from Parallels? I have had no luck over several attempts over the last month. Perhaps they are too busy rolling in all the money they are making from Mac users.

    Matt
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2006
  4. plazmyd

    plazmyd Junior Member

    Messages:
    10
    Ah ha!!

    Ok.. after digging around it appears that turning off the "Enable access for assistive devices" allows me to use the F1 key for Mouseposé again!! So problem fixed for now.

    Matt
     

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