Control Click for Multiple Select

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by dzins, Apr 11, 2006.

  1. dzins

    dzins Member

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    31
    I have searched through the forum and all I can find is the oposite answer for what I am looking for.

    I am trying to copy a bunch of stuff from my old computer to a Parallels VM. It would be really really nice to be able to control click some of the files and not have it perform a right click (as I am using a two button USB mouse). I suppose I can re-map a key to the control key, but is there any way natively in OS X or otherwise to change this behavior to be a normal control click for selective mulitple selection?
     
  2. dzins

    dzins Member

    Messages:
    31
    Upon further review, I don't think re-mapping the control key would do anything because the control key does work for copy and paste, so the vm must intercept a left mouse button click when the control key is held down and change it to a right mouse button click (which I suppose is great if you don't have a two button mouse). Is there any way around this?

    Thx
     
  3. MicroDev

    MicroDev Hunter

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    I too would love an option/preference for this too! One thought (I haven't yet tried), is to use the Windows resource kit keymap tool to remap the right Command key (display as the Windows key) to the Control key in Windows. I used this method to overcome the missing delete key problem in the early dual boot test setups.
     
  4. anderkh

    anderkh Junior Member

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    14
    Has anyone figured out a solution for this? Ideally, we'd be able to switch between control meaning right-click and control meaning additional select. Most of the time I have a 2 button mouse connected, and not being able to do multiple disparate selections is driving me nuts!

    Ken
     
  5. MicroDev

    MicroDev Hunter

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    122
    I came up with a good solution that makes the Command key work transparently as the Ctrl key in OS X and Windows. That makes Copy-Paste, Ctrl-Click, etc., work as expected. I tested it in Windows 2000 and XP (use the Windows 2003 Resource kit for XP).

    Here is the article:
    http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=1030&highlight=Control
     
  6. joem

    joem Forum Maven

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    1,247
    I see no reason there couldn't be an option in the Parallels menu to switch. VNC intercepts all keys in its remote desktop solution so control works in Windows the way Windown expects.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2006
  7. lscline

    lscline Junior Member

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    Microdev, your workaround works well for me. Thanks for posting that!
     
  8. jimbo53

    jimbo53 Bit poster

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    1
    Sorry if I appear thick.... Using the "fn" and ctrl keys on my PC (XP) allows me to select multiple items. Using those same keys thru parallels workstation does nothing, and I cannot mutliple select with any combination of keys. Does this "remapping" address that or is there an easier fix for those not well versed in these things? thanks.
     
  9. jeliker

    jeliker Junior Member

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    17
    Should we really have to remap?

    I see a lot of talk about using some utility to remap the CTRL key in Windows in order to make it work. While that's fine if you need an immediate fix, that certainly doesn't sound like a long-term solution. Can someone from the Parallels team offer input on what plans exist to overcome the loss of the CTRL key in the guest OS (presumably it will affect all guest OS installations?).

    My personal preference would be to use the Command key for the right-click or at least offer a configuration setting where we could chose CTRL, Option, Command, or any combination for the right-click, Windows key, and Content menu key. Ideally for notebook users, the Fn key could be come one of the assignable choices, too.

    Here's my idea for a good setup on a notebook:

    Fn-click: right-click
    Command: Windows key
    Option-Command: Context menu key
    CTRL: CTRL
    Option: ALT
     
  10. MicroDev

    MicroDev Hunter

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    122
    The problem is that the Mac OS treats the ctrl key as the right mouse button trigger for one button mice. The remapkey tool allows you to make use of the (IMO) worthless Windows Key by mapping the ctrl key to it. The Windows key on the Mac keyboard is the Command key, which, acts like the ctrl key does in Windows in the Mac OS. Therefore mapping the ctrl to the Command key makes the usage transparent between the two OS's.

    The downside is that the Mac OS is still active even when you are in parallels, therefore the Command key strokes can still be interpretted by the cost. Image if the Windows program had a ctrl-Q keystroke - this would trigger Parallels to shutdown.

    Clearly this is not the best solution (Parallels should do something like a driver here), but it works to enable basic multiple selections and application use.

    Hope that helps.
     

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