Feature request: an ALMOST-full-screen mode

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by mcg, Sep 21, 2006.

  1. mcg

    mcg Hunter

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    168
    I've created a custom resolution of 1440x856 for my Windows XP guest. Why that? Well, it's just large enough to fit entirely within my MBP screen without going into full-screen mode. Properly centered, I have the menu bar, the window title bar, and then the Windows XP screen. Obviously, I disable Parallels' toolbar and status bar in the process. I also auto-hide the Dock when I'm in this mode.

    I know I could just do fullscreen mode, and I often do. But I've found I like having the Mac's menu bar up there! Coupled with VirtueDesktops it is nice, too.

    I would like to request that a mode like this be implemented natively in Parallels, as an option of course. Doing it natively would provide several advantages:
    --- Parallels could automatically size and center the window.
    --- Parallels could remove the window title bar, giving us a few more pixels to work with.
    --- It could auto-hide the Dock automatically when Parallels is in focus, and un-hide it when Parallels is out of focus.

    Comments? Thoughts? I encourage everyone to try it out and see what they think.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2006
  2. unused_user_name

    unused_user_name Pro

    Messages:
    495
    It sounds nice, but it wouldn't work for everyone.

    My screen resolution across both of my moitors is not rectangular... There is no such resolution that meets the requirements for "almost" fullscreen the way you describe it.

    Maybe grey the option out for folks like me?
     
  3. akac

    akac Hunter

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    144
    This would be perfect for laptops. When I'm running on the internal LCD, I also usually run in an "almost full screen" mode. Its using the full height, but not the full width. I would love if I could chop off the title bar :)
     
  4. tacit_one

    tacit_one Pro

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    434
    Thanks for your request,

    We will think about the possibility of it in the future updates.

    Regards,
    Max
     
  5. MarkHolbrook

    MarkHolbrook Pro

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    350
    If I'm reading his post right then I would agree... An "almost full screen" mode that would grow the parallels window including the parallels toolbars and status bar to fit just below your mac menu and above any visible dock. That would be hot.

    I just started using VirtueDesktops. I had been holding out for CodeTek to get their nice VirtualDesktop working under intel and almost a year later still nothing but emails saying it will be "soon". Meanwhile they produce UBs of their other products... So I guess they really don't care.

    Anyway I have found putting Parallels full screen in the "code" virtue desktop works nice. A quick mouse move to the right to bring up the pager and I'm back to other windows.

    Nice way to work. The only thing I can't figure out how to do is say I have email in one virtue desktop and I open a new message. But I'd like to drag that message window to say the browsing desktop so I can quickly cut and paste pieces of text. Can't figure out a way to do that!

    M
     
  6. cmpi

    cmpi Junior Member

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    12
    I would like this too, but for a different reason. Whenever a CD is insterted, I need access to the small icons on the bottom of the screen, in order to connect the CD. This also happens with USB devices (I don't use auto connect). An "almost full screen" would be perfect for accessing this functionality without messing with the VMs resolution.
     
  7. alkalifly

    alkalifly Hunter

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    139
    I set up my screen resolution the way mcg describes it from day one, and I think it is a great way to work. If Parallels included it as an option, that would be icing, but it is really easy enough to set up one's self.
    However, cmpi's post made me realize a feature that I have been wanting for a while, but keep forgetting to ask for: it would be great if there was some way to access the "small icons on the bottom of the screen" while in full screen mode. When I am doing hardcore XPing, and I don't really need the Mac menu bar, I do switch to fullscreen. For those occasions, it would be nice to access those icons (perhaps via Parallels tools?) so that I can get feedback about the VM (i.e., I can tell when the drive is spinning, etc.)
     
  8. MatthewR

    MatthewR Member

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    45
    An almost full-screen that shows the status bar would be more useful than the menu bar in the general case, so make the chpoices of what to show / hide configurable. I want to see the icons so when the network randomly cycles itself (Parallels, fix this alreafy, geez) I can see the icon changing and not wonder minutes later why stuff is failing. Also, its nice to see the disk activity so I know the VM is busy and not just hung. I still see a need for the menu bar in full screen on a laptop so I can see what the battery is at, but when its on my desk I don't need to see that th battery is fully charged all day.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2006
  9. mcg

    mcg Hunter

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    168
    Oh, please don't misunderstand me: this should be an option and would not replace the standard fullscreen mode. I would never suggest people be forced to use Parallels this way :)
     
  10. luz

    luz Member

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    87
    I second that! But rather than cutting off some space for a menu/tool bar, I'd prefer a hotkey that would bring up a floating control panel with all the buttons (network, USB, CD, Pause, Suspend, Stop and maybe Hide) on top of the fullscreen. So I could have the guest in real full screen, but still be able to access the controls.
     
  11. mfripp

    mfripp Bit poster

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    6
    use the green button?

    This sounds like a good use for the green "zoom" button on the Parallels window. The normal function for this button is supposed to be to make the window the "right" size or the maximum reasonable size. (I prefer the second option, since the first is confusing). This button is disabled now, but it would make sense to make it "maximize" the window (similar to what Camino or Apple Mail do).
     
  12. unused_user_name

    unused_user_name Pro

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    495
    That is a really good UI way of doing this!
     
  13. mcg

    mcg Hunter

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    168
    Well, actually I think the Apple interface guidelines would weigh in strongly against such a thing. The green zoom button has a fairly well-defined behavior, and it most certainly doesn't include removing the window bar!

    Besides, how would you reverse the process? The green button would be gone once you zoom out.
     
  14. Djoh

    Djoh Member

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    42
    Actually, doing this through the simple "Zoom" (+) button would be great. I do the same quasi-fullscreen thing, after tweaking some custom resolutions.

    To do this it should leave the PD window's features in view though, so one can quickly mess with connected devices or start/stop the VM etc. It would be bad for the Zoom button to push pieces of a window off the screen!

    But it's nice to be able to see your Mac drives and such, and it's much simpler to understand what's going on, simpler than Windows fullscreened-on-it's-own-virtual-desktop.
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2006

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