Disable Control+Shift (right-click) functionality in Parallels 6?

Discussion in 'Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop' started by DJRumpy, Oct 1, 2010.

  1. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    From searches about this issue, I've seen screenshots from previous versions that allowed you to disable the keyboard right-click functionality, as I need that key combination for something else in in my XP VM.

    Is there a way to disable the 'mouse right click' result when using the CONTROL + SHIFT key combination under Parallels 6?

    CONTROL + SHIFT + Left Mouse Click = Right Mouse Click

    How do I turn this off? There is no option to do so in the VM preferences, or in the general preferences.

    Thanks
     
  2. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    *bump*

    Anyone?
     
  3. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    CONTROL + SHIFT + Left Mouse Click does not cause a Right Mouse Click in my virtual machines. I don't know how to turn it off or on.

    I'm using version 11822 on Mac OS X 10.6.4. I use window mode. Windows XP SP 3.

    What kind of mouse and keyboard are you using?
     
  4. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I'm running Build 6.0.11822 on Mac OS X 10.6.4 (64 bit kernel) on a Windows XP (32 bit) VM, and it most definitely causes a 'right click' with that key combination. I've verified it in various apps as well as on the desktop.

    Thanks
     
  5. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    1,229
    What kind of mouse and keyboard are you using?
     
  6. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    It's a stock Apple wireless keyboard, and a bluetooth mouse. The Shift Key code and the Control Key code are standard on any keyboard (they are not model specific). It's an industry standard.

    I do not use a custom keymap or anything of that sort.
     
  7. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    1,229
    I have the bluetooth mouse also and some other mice connected.

    Does the problem occur if you create a new Windows XP virtual machine?

    Is there something in ~/Library/Preferences/com.parallels.Parallels Desktop.plist that might have something to do with this mouse/keyboard click feature?

    Maybe you can move ~/Library/Preferences/com.parallels.Parallels Desktop.plist out of the Preferences folder and reboot.
     
  8. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I don't think this is a particular setting as I find no options for it in either the machine preferences or in the general Parallels preferences (shame they don't include a search in the plist editor..lol). I didn't see anything 'keyboard' or 'mouse' related though. This is and new install (I just bought it two weeks ago).

    I haven't tried a new XP VM..I guess I could give that a go today if I have some down time.
     
  9. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I just had a thought. I haven't tried the boot camp vm that it sets up. I'll give that a spin to see if the right-click happens there as well.
     
  10. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    1,229
    The plist files are text files so you could open them in a text editor that has a search function. I was wondering if you upgraded from a previous version of Parallels that had the Control+Shift (right-click) option which could be left in the Parallels preferences options somehow even though the option doesn't exist anymore.
     
  11. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    The XP VM is actually converted from VMWare.

    Is there a machine specific plist for each, or just the general .desktop plist? I would hate to have to redo all of my preferences, but I may have to bite the bullet here and delete it.
     
  12. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I knew that htey were often simple XML, but this one appears to be something else. Either that or it doesn't have recognized line returns in the file.

    Ah well. I went ahead and yanked the plist list and relaunched the VM, but still see the same 'right click' in both the Bootcamp and XP vm's.
     
  13. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    The .plist files are all xml and have standard line endings. You can use TextEdit or you could try BBEdit which has text coloring.

    Virtual machines have there own xml configuration files separate from Parallels preferences plists. The file is config.pvs inside the virtual machine's .pvm. Right click the .pvm in the Finder, then select Show Package Contents.

    There are more preference files in /Library/Preferences/Parallels.

    Control-Shift left click is giving you a right click in Boot Camp? Then the problem wouldn't be in Parallels preferences. Try uninstalling Parallels Tools. Check the Mouse preferences and Boot Camp preferences in the Control Panel while booted in Boot Camp.

    What version of the Boot Camp drivers are you using? Did you update to Boot Camp 3.1?
     
  14. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    You seem to be missing the point. It's happening in all of my VM's, not just Boot Camp, but also in an XP SP3 VM. As to the plist's for Parallels, it is most definitely NOT a standard XML file. I've opened every one of them with TextEdit, and none of them have proper line breaks. I've also opened them with Smultron, and they appear the same. They are fine though as they open with plist editor without issue. The one that was recreated after I deleted the original is also the same with no line breaks.

    If I was guessing, I'd say these were Binary Property Lists, which is definitely an option in Property List Editor as a 'Save As' type.

    None of these VM's exhibited this issue under fusion.
     
  15. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

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    You're right, they're binary property lists. I didn't know they existed since BBEdit automatically opens them as xml text.

    Does your right mouse button work as expected?

    Have you checked the config.pvs file? If the problem were in the config.pvs then a new virtual machine might not have the problem. You could try installing Windows XP to a new virtual machine as a test. Then you could create a new virtual machine without installing windows - just remove hard disk 1 in the new VM, then create a new hard disk 1 that points to the .hdd file in the existing virtual machine .pvm file.
     
  16. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    Unfortunately, I saw nothing in the PVS that might indicate a setting issue:


    <MouseSync dyn_lists="">
    <Enabled>1</Enabled>
    </MouseSync>
    <MouseVtdSync dyn_lists="">
    <Enabled>1</Enabled>
    </MouseVtdSync>
    <SmartMouse dyn_lists="">
    <Enabled>1</Enabled>
    </SmartMouse>
    <Modality dyn_lists="">
    <Opacity>0.8</Opacity>
    <StayOnTop>1</StayOnTop>
    <CaptureMouseClicks>1</CaptureMouseClicks>
    </Modality>

    The above were the only references to 'mouse'. The only references to 'control' were with Parental Control or Remote Control.
     
  17. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I finally just opened an issue with the Parallels team. They essentially told me it is not possible to change that setting in Parallels 6. The 'fix' is to uninstall P6, revert to P5, set it there where the setting IS available, and once I verify it's working as expected, I can then upgrade again to 6.

    Seems like it would be easier to just give me the plist key/value pair and let me plug it in manually, but there it is.

    That would explain why you are not seeing this, assuming you have upgraded from Parallels 5 at some point. I don't suppose you have that setting in your PVS or PLIST? I suspect I could just copy the key and value into mine.
     
  18. joevt

    joevt Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,229
    I think I found the files. They are the keyboard profile files in ~/Library/Preferences/Parallels/.

    The MouseShortcuts in my Windows profile looks like this (I think you just need to set enable to 0?):

    Code:
       <MouseShortcuts dyn_lists="MouseShortcut 2">
          <MouseShortcut id="0" dyn_lists="KeyCombination 1">
             <Enable>0</Enable>
             <MouseButton>1</MouseButton>
             <MouseButtonShortcut>0</MouseButtonShortcut>
             <Delay>0</Delay>
             <KeyCombination id="0" dyn_lists="">
                <UseAlt>0</UseAlt>
                <UseCtrl>1</UseCtrl>
                <UseCmd>0</UseCmd>
                <UseShift>1</UseShift>
                <CustomKey>0</CustomKey>
             </KeyCombination>
          </MouseShortcut>
          <MouseShortcut id="1" dyn_lists="KeyCombination 0">
             <Enable>0</Enable>
             <MouseButton>1</MouseButton>
             <MouseButtonShortcut>0</MouseButtonShortcut>
             <Delay>3000</Delay>
          </MouseShortcut>
       </MouseShortcuts>
    
     
  19. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    I think you've hit on it. This definitely appears to be the right place. I'll give it a spin and let you know.

    Many thanks!
     
  20. DJRumpy

    DJRumpy Member

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    You were correct. I found it in the Windows.kbd file:

    <KeyboardShortcut id="3" dyn_lists="KeyCombination 1">
    <Enable>1</Enable>
    <Action>1</Action>
    <KeyCombination id="0" dyn_lists="">
    <UseAlt>0</UseAlt>
    <UseCtrl>1</UseCtrl>
    <UseCmd>1</UseCmd>
    <UseShift>0</UseShift>
    <CustomKey>0</CustomKey>
    </KeyCombination>

    Instead of disabling it, I just moved it to the Ctrl and Cmd keys. That saves me the grief of having to revert to an older version, reset it, and then upgrade again.

    Thanks for your help.
     

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