Swapping modifier keys

Discussion in 'Windows Virtual Machine' started by PhilippeP2, Sep 9, 2016.

  1. PhilippeP2

    PhilippeP2 Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Hi! I was wondering if there's a way to swap the modifier keys for the guest OS. On mac, you can swap the command and control key in the keyboard settings, and I'd like to have the host and the guest swapped... Thanks!
     
    Julien3 likes this.
  2. Guna@Parallels

    Guna@Parallels Parallels Support

    Messages:
    433
    Hi @PhilippeP2
    By default, Parallels Desktop maps common Mac OS X keyboard shortcut key combinations to the equivalent Windows key combinations. That way if you're used to, for example, pressing Command-C to copy text in Mac OS X, you don't have to switch to the Windows equivalent, Control-C.
    This link should help you.
     
  3. PhilippeP2

    PhilippeP2 Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Well, as a developper, I use a wide variety of keyboard shortcuts, not just Ctrl+Key! For instance, Ctrl+Shift+Key, Ctrl+Alt+Key, and so on. I find it tedious and annoying to have to add every shortcut by hand, and would appreciate if there was a way to switch Ctrl and Cmd keys for the entire OS. And speaking of that, imagine Ctrl+Click to select multiple files, currently, I have to press Ctrl and I can't do it using Cmd like I'm used to on the host system. Hopefully you understand what I mean and can do something! Thanks a lot.
     
    LazyA and Julien3 like this.
  4. Julien3

    Julien3 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    I have the same problem as @PhilippeP2.
    Like him, I swap the control and command keys on the host (to leverage the muscle memory on windows shortcuts like Ctrl-C). I just started using Parallels, and I find that the modifiers in the Windows guest OS do not behave as I need. It seems I need swap them back in the guest OS.
    Having to enumerate the keyboard shortcuts that I use is quite burdensome. Might there be a better solution?
     
    Leslie Carter likes this.
  5. Leslie Carter

    Leslie Carter Bit poster

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    4
    I've got the same problem. I also map my keys to take advantage of muscle memory developed thru years on Windows (before I was smart enough to get a Mac). I tried to map Command-M to Ctrl-M so I could use Quicken's Memorized Transactions shortcut, but instead when I press Ctrl-M, the windows move around and resize; I'm not quite sure what they are doing.
     
  6. MaxC3

    MaxC3 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    I completely agree with the previous posters. I'm a developer and I use all sorts of keyboard shortcuts in my IDE (ex: control-alt-shift-N). I just want my VM to act as if I were sitting in front of my Windows laptop. Alt on a Windows box is directly next to the space bar; but seems impossible to get "Alt" to be the "Cmd" key on the Mac under Parallels.

    As far as I can tell, the best solution to this is to use VMware Fusion where you can easily map Cmd -> Windows Key, Option -> Alt. It has had this capability since version 1.x. Sorry, I really liked Parallels. :-(
     
  7. L-Dog

    L-Dog Member

    Messages:
    20
    Me too. I'm a windows user who has to use a mac for iOS development. Its really hard to configure things so that modifiers are mapped to windows configuration and window key mappings work when in the windows VM. Any help to make this process more seamless would greatly simply my decision to use the product over other options.
     
  8. Jan4

    Jan4 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    +10 Totally agree!

    When in osx I copy with 'cmd+c', but in parallels I need to switch to 'ctrl+c'?! Why is this better? I'm used to copy with cmd+c!!!
     
  9. Hey, could you please provide us with more details? I've just tested cmd+c shortcut on my test VM and it's working like it works on Mac side.
    Check the screenshot and did the same on your VM configuration (if you don't have it)
    Any details will be very appreciated.
     

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