AppleScripted typing missing shift key and numerics in Windows XP under Parallels 8

Hi,

My previous post on this was misleading and out-of-date. I still have an open customer support ticket about this, but I would still open up the discussion again with more correct details
(For reference, the old post: http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=280685)

I also updated the StackExchange thread on this: http://apple.stackexchange.com/ques...issing-shift-key-and-numerics-in-windows-xp-u

I am using a Windows XP VM with Parallels 8 under Mountain Lion. I have a remote desktop connection from XP that does not allow pasting from the clipboard, but typing works, of course. I have an AppleScript simulating as if I typed the clipboard. However, the Shift key is not held down for modified keys, even though all keyboard layouts are in sync otherwise. Also curiously, numeric characters don't go through, while the "shifted-numeric" characters are turned back to numerics? See the full example below.

This happens in script-typing into XP desktop apps too, RDC only motivates why I cannot simply paste the clipboard. But this is a problem of scripted keystrokes in Parallels.

This only happens for scripts, the shift key is synchronized otherwise.

What is there to do?

This KB-article is about a similar shift-key issue from previous versions, even RDC-specific, but did not solve my problem: http://kb.parallels.com/en/9129

Here is the script:

This is what I tried to copy and paste (by scripted typing):

This is what I got, see the messed-up order of rows, even, and even the cursor was before the x in last full-length line, not at the end — somehow it jumped to the beginning of a row before typing more.

 

No luck, engineers will be working on it

Thanks for asking — elevated customer support concluded that this cannot be fixed right now. Perhaps a product update, one day.

Now I don't want to know if this happens to work in Fusion. I feel stupid I did not test both before I grabbed my wallet.

 

i actually went around and around with support on this same issue when i wasted my money purchasing v8. it never got fixed in v8, and it's still not fixed in v9 betas. looks like i'm stuck on v7 forever. which also means that parallels won't be receiving any more money from me or my company until it's fixed either. i realize that this is a 'minor' bug, but to someone like me who uses this on a daily basis...it's pretty much crucial.

 

I never knew it ever worked, let alone as recently as v7. Now I feel ever worse than hearing about VMware Fusion...

And really there is no chance it will be fixed in v9? Why?

Thanks, Matt!

 

just a little update in case this will help you. after upgrading to osx mavericks yesterday, i was greeted with the fun fact that parallels 7 (the only version that still allowed the correct apple scripting) will no longer function. so, i gave the newest version of parallels 9 a run and....big surprise....it still doesn't work. so, unfortunately, i was forced to move my vm over to vmware fusion 6. and to be quite honest, i'm kind of glad i did. it dropped the file size of my vm, it seems to run a bit faster, and applescript works as expected. sorry to say, but it looks like i'll be moving forward and away from parallels...all for a simple fix that has been ignored for 2 major versions of the software. oh well.

 

Thanks, Matt. After forking out $40 for Parallels 8, I am not ready to move, though I feel dumb that I did not simply try out Fusion and Parallels before buying either.

 

i understand. i was forced into it. it's not just a annoyance for me to not be able to use applescript with parallels, it's part of my daily job...so, i didn't have any other choice. if you can make it by without it, more power to you.