Annoyances

S

starless

Junior Member
Hi, I'm probably going to buy Parallels Desktop 6 because I noticed it provides better performance - with respect to VMware Fusion, which I'm using since a long time - when using a couple of Windows applications which I need to use and which involve 3D visualization, but I'm still encountering some minor annoyances in my evaluation.
Can anyone help, please?

1. Is there a way to emulate a "click & drag" of the midde mouse button, with my Magic Mouse? In Fusion I could do it by holding Cmd while clicking and dragging.

2. In a Windows (XP/7) guest, if I start a file drag&drop operation which defaults to a file move operation, and then want to make it a COPY operation instead by pressing and holding the Ctrl button, the sign on the dragged icon does not change into a "+" to indicate that I'm going to do a copy, but it should instead.

3. If I'm working on the virtual machine, e.g. in full screen mode, but then want to switch to a different OSX application and so I press Cmd+Tab to open the application switcher, and then I move inside the switcher by using the left and right cursor keys, the keypresses are also passed through to the virtual machine, e.g. if I'm in a Windows Explorer window the selected file changes, and this can really be dangerous sometimes.

4. Antialiasing in 3D applications does not seem to work. Is it supported? Will it be in the future?

Any suggestions?
Thanks.
 
I'm using PD6 Build 6.0.11992:

On #4 Antialiasing: I'm using an iMac 27" i7 w/ATI 5750 and it does not anti alias; however, that would slow it down, so I'm not sure I want it just yet... :)

On #3: I can't reproduce your behavior. Cmd+Tab in full screen cycles through my MSWindows "task bar" folders that I have minimized. I set the Upper Left corner to peel back and give me access to Menu bar (and Apple's App bar) which gives me ready access to, say, my Firefox browser. Then, once focus in on the Mac Firefox browser, I can Cmd+Tab and arrow works fine.
I must have the Cmd key getting intercepted less; probably turned off something, as I want to play games in the MSWindow...you could try that.

On #2 Drag, Ctrl, Drop: The [+] shows up or [arrow] exactly as expected. Again, I have Alt,Ctl,Shift keys set to be optimized for games...but it might help your look n feel response too.

Best Regards, I hope it helps a bit...
 
Hi mH2, thanks for replying.
The PD version I'm evaluating is the same as yours.
Which version of Windows are you using?

#3: You probably have OSX shortcuts disabled in Parallels' keyboard preferences, this can be a solution indeed, I just discovered I can press Ctrl+Option to instantly (faster than the corner peel) have access to the OSX menu and applications. Not perfect like it works in Fusion, but it can be enough.

#2: Nevertheless, I cannot find a way to make this work, I always have the same problem with all defaults keyboard profiles. By the way, the opposite works fine, i.e. if I start a COPY operation and I want to make it a MOVE (I think by pressing Shift, can't remember now), the symbol changes as expected from a + to an arrow.

#4: Antialiasing in 3D apps was a slow down 10 year ago when I played the first 3D games on my Amiga ;), it should be mostly done in hardware nowadays, without any noticeable slowdown except for extreme situations (which is not my case), and it's a must-have visual enhancement IMHO. But Fusion does not have it, either, so I was wondering whether it is impossible to have due to some technical reasons, or if it will be implemented in the near future.

Nobody has a clue on #1?

Thanks!
 
Version of MSWindows is XP-SP3 all updates except IE8.

In right-click->Configure...
{Optimization} in Performance, [Faster virtual machine] and [x]Tune Windows for speed
{Applications} [x]Share Windows applications with Mac is the only check box checked.
{Full Screen} no checks and upper left set to [Show menu bar], though your key shortcut is cool too.
{Advanced} SmartMouse=[Auto] and [x]Optimize modifier keys for games. (the rest are default I believe)

in [Parallels Desktop]->Preferences... (cmd+,)
created new profile: WindozGames
[v][-]Parallels Desktop Shortcuts
[x]Ctrl+Cmd+Enter == Coherence Toggle (default?)
[x]Cmd+Enter == Full Screen Toggle (same as used in Mac WOW)
[x]Ctrl+Alt+Cmd+Enter == Modality Toggle (default)
[x]Alt+Cmd == Release Input (was Ctrl+Alt but that interferes with games)
[_]F6 Show/Hide Application (unchecked...minimize shortcuts)
[v][_]Virtual Machine Shortcuts
(all Unchecked)
[_] Enable Mac OS X system shortcuts
[_] Use (Cmd) + click to right-click (no need and it fouls the real right click behavior)


I plugged in a flash drive and dragged a file to it (pretty [+] showing) and pressed [shift] as you said, and the [+] goes away indicating it will be a Move.
I ctrl+click+drag a file from a folder to desktop ([+] shows), I let go of Ctrl and [+] disappears indicating a Move, I press Alt and [arrow] appears indicating creation of a short cut.

I agree the AntiAliasing can be done in hardware in full screen mode, however, I don't know if full screen mode is not just a borderless window...and I don't think windows can have anti-aliasing unless the desktop itself has it.
I tried to find a way to turn on anti-aliasing on the desktop and could not find one.

As far as #1, it may get solved when they solve the funky Mouse behavior in games. Games use Left mouse click+drag to one thing and Right mouse click+drag to another and Left+Right+drag to something different that those... Right now Left+drag goes crazy (click to right of center and drag = spin left rapidly, click to left of center and drag = spin right rapidly.) Left+Right+drag is equally dizzying and spinning... Now, attach a second mouse and you get correct mousing -- with an invisible mouse LOL `_`

Microsoft standard (possibly addopted from other mouse systems) used Left+Right as Middle Click and Left+Right+drag as Middle+drag. Parallels may need to add something to their Preferences.../Keyboard\ tab like the
[x] Use ( Cmd ) + click to right-click
like
[x] Use ( Cmd + Ctrl + Shift ) + click to middle-click

Personally, I just use a 3-4 button mouse for those programs...I guess you'd say I'm a bit lazy :-) lol ?
 
Thank you mH2, "Optimize modifier keys for games" made it: Shift and Ctrl for copy/move work fine now.
I have to say I find the documentation for that option totally obscure, otherwise I would have tried it before ;).

Regarding the middle mouse click+drag, for the moment I got it by configuring BetterTouchTool to send a middle click when I do a "three-finger click" on my Magic Mouse. I need to get accustomed to it, but it works. BTT actually warns me about some problems between itself and Parallels, but I hope it's nothing serious.

Now I hope we'll get antialiasing soon or later, but in the meantime I guess I've got no more excuses to delay my upgrade ;).

Thank you again for your help!
 
The lack of antialiasing is an annoyance to me too. My RC flight simulator (PhoenixRC) really needs it; the model looks horrible when it gets very far away. Running Windows natively in Boot Camp, I can see a huge difference with the antialiasing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top