Copy Files Between Host/VMs

Ok, so potentially a dumb question: should I be able to copy and past files between my Mac and VMs (and also between VMs) without use of Shared Folders? Simply copy a file in Finder and paste it in the VM; or copy file in one VM and paste in the other? Mac is latest OS X 10.10.2, VMs are Win7.1 and Win8.1 with Parallels Tools installed.
I can do this via Shared Folders, but would like to be able to use the straight copy/paste. Interestingly, clipboard copy/paste works, but that somehow excludes files.
Thanks!

 

Hi DimitriL,
Yes, Parallels Desktop allows you to copy and paste text of any size between Mac and Windows applications. For more information, please refer http://kb.parallels.com/6910
Note : This article applies for Parallels Desktop 10 also.

 

Thanks Manoj. So it looks like drag and drop method works for copying files from Mac to VM, not sure why normal Command+C/Command+V doesn't copy files and only copies text via clipboard. Do you know if there are plans to offer a full file copy functionality in the future?

 

Not quite the same OSes as you, I am running Mavericks and my Windows VM is XP, but I can copy and paste files/folders/whatever using standard keyboard shortcuts control-C and control-V in Windows, and cmd-c and cmd-v in OSX. Copy/Paste works in both directions, i.e.: from Windows Explorer to OSX Finder, etc.

You might want to check your shortcut settings in Parallels Preferences or via the VM Configure/Hardware/Mouse & Keyboard/Shortcuts, look under Application Shortcuts and your VM settings in the same dialog box.

Ian

 

Hmm.. Not here, just tried it and after copying a file via Cmd+C in OS X, pasting via Ctrl+C or Cmd+C in guest does nothing. Right-clicking within a guest shows greyed out Paste option, so it's definitely not being carried through. Clipboard is being carried over just fine, and I can copy files via Shared Folders, just not direct. Maybe it's time to open a ticket..

 

The only thing I remember I had to do was enable shortcuts in the XP VM so that cmd-c/cmd-v would work along with ctl-c/ctl-v; before the change only the ctl sequence shortcuts worked, so half the time I would use cmd- out of habit and of course Windows wouldn't like it.

So yup, not sure what else I have seen that could address your problem, hopefully Parallels support can come up with an answer.

Good luck!

ian

 

When I am copying files from my server, where normally files are used on Windows, Through parallels on my Mac, Say in an excel file. I cannot see the data inside. Weather I used an accounting package called tally. Data also is not recognised. Can somebody help me on this