VMware Communities: Message List - Loss of Keyboard Input

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

jroh — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:36:32 GMT

Last.fm on Tiger for me.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

frebro — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:10:24 GMT

I get the same error with Last.fm. It works if I just quit Last.fm though, so it's not that big of a problem for me. I run a Swedish Leopard 10.5.2.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

jeffcs — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:09:42 GMT

Looks like Microsoft Entourage also prevents keyboard input:

(running Leopard and VMware fusion 1.1 build 62573)

$ ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput
| "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=1735,"kCGSSessionLoginwindowSafeLogin"=No,"kCGSSessionAuditIDKey"=0,"kCGSessionLoginDoneKey"=Yes,"kCGSSessionSystemSafeBoot"=No,"kCGSSessionOnConsoleKey"=Yes,"kCGSSessionUserIDKey"=501,"kSCSecuritySessionID"=11685424,"kCGSSessionUserNameKey"="xxx","kCGSSessionGroupIDKey"=20,"kCGSSessionConsoleSetKey"=0,"kCGSSessionIDKey"=256,"kCGSessionLongUserNameKey"="XXX"})

$ ps -eaf | grep 1735
501 1735 116 0 1:14.65 ?? 13:41.36 /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp /Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft Entourage

I stopped Entourage and then I was able to type into my VMware window.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

bgertzfield — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:22:24 GMT

csuhdba wrote:
It's not reasonable to expect other software ISVs to help solve the problem
nor should VM Fusion customers be expected to wait for what will never
happen(all ISVs get along..). VM Fusion should be able to work in the
current world of software environment - so a patch from vmware is needed to
that end..

Hi Bob,

You're completely right. Unfortunately, as Eric said, it's a major rewrite to move the keyboard functionality away from the current architecture (which uses Apple's Event Taps mechanism). It's not just a patch, so these things take some time.

Since these ISVs are breaking other software that uses Event Taps (not just VMware Fusion), we're trying to be proactive in the mean time and contact the software vendors to let them know Apple believes they're using the Secure Event Input APIs incorrectly.

If you could let us know which application has caused the incompatibility, we'll get in touch with them in the mean time, until we can do the rearchitecture work to remove Event Taps from VMware Fusion.

Ben

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

etung — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:17:30 GMT

We are looking at this, but my understanding is that reworking the input method is a big change, which is why it hasn't happened yet.

The problem is that the API is bad (it was changed to allow one program to lock out others indefinitely, but IIRC, back when we originally did this, it was more sane and only locked out others when that program had focus), and that other developers are using it in a bad way (keeping the lock at all times, rather than dropping it when not needed).

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

csuhdba — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:59:22 GMT

It's not reasonable to expect other software ISVs to help solve the problem
nor should VM Fusion customers be expected to wait for what will never
happen(all ISVs get along..). VM Fusion should be able to work in the
current world of software environment - so a patch from vmware is needed to
that end..

/bob h.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

bgertzfield — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:05:29 GMT

csuhdba wrote:
vm fusion 1.0 rhel 5.1 on dvd - anaconda installer works fine up to the point where you need input - then nothing.. using oel/rhel 5.0 on cd - no problem.. on macbook..

Hi csuhdba,

Here's the steps to diagnose this problem, from earlier in the thread. Can you please try them and let us know what the result is?

===
Sounds like some application has turned on Secure Event Input, which unfortunately disables keyboard input to VMware Fusion when not in Unity mode. Can you try running the following from Terminal:

ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput

You'll see a line like:

| "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=4695, (...)

If you can then run:

ps auxww | grep 4695

where 4695 is the number you see after "kCGSSessionSecureInputPID", it'll tell you what program has enabled Secure Event Input.

If you could let us know which process has done this (and not disabled Secure Event Input when it was done), we can contact the software provider to let them know they're breaking Fusion.

Thanks for your patience!
===

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

csuhdba — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:24:04 GMT

vm fusion 1.0 rhel 5.1 on dvd - anaconda installer works fine up to the point where you need input - then nothing.. using oel/rhel 5.0 on cd - no problem.. on macbook..

not resonable to expect all other developers to do something for another isv.. vmfusion needs fix to work in current environment as is..

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

bgertzfield — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:43:40 GMT

Thanks. I've contacted the Sofa Control developers to let them know how they can fix the problem.

For what it's worth, folks, if you run into software that causes this issue, you can email the developers this link that explains how to correct it. VMware Fusion is not the only software impacted by this issue, so it'll help everyone out.

http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn2007/tn2150.html

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

placain — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:46:48 GMT

vista:~ dmd$ ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput
| "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionGroupIDKey"=501,"kCGSSessionOnConsoleKey"=Yes,"kCGSSessionIDKey"=256,"kCGSSessionUserNameKey"="dmd","kCGSessionLoginDoneKey"=Yes,"kCGSessionLongUserNameKey"="Daniel Drucker","kCGSSessionSystemSafeBoot"=No,"kCGSSessionLoginwindowSafeLogin"=No,"kCGSSessionConsoleSetKey"=0,"kCGSSessionUserIDKey"=501,"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=230})
vista:~ dmd$ ps auxww|grep 230
dmd 230 0.0 -0.4 242616 9144 ?? S 1:05PM 0:00.58 /Applications/Sofa Control.app/Contents/MacOS/Sofa Control -psn_0_1572865

That's this: http://caseapps.com/sofacontrol.html

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

maxim.porges — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:58:56 GMT

Sorry, should have read the post linked to above. Apparently there is a workaround to use Unity, which I am going to try.

Here's the link again for other people like me who might not read everything before they post...

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=90810

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

maxim.porges — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:55:38 GMT

As requested, here is the Terminal output from the commands listed in the forum post.

porgesm 460 0.4 -0.0 27372 428 p1 S+ 1:54PM 0:00.00 grep 418
porgesm 418 0.0 -1.0 415536 20856 ?? S 1:53PM 0:03.16 /opt/CPsrsc-50/bin/SecureClient.app/Contents/MacOS/SecureClient -psn_0_3014657

This is definitely SecureClient.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

maxim.porges — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:51:11 GMT

I'm having the same issue (loss of keyboard input, but mouse and start button [via Apple key] working fine). I'm using CheckPoint's VPN SecureClient.

Is this going to be addressed before Fusion is released? Being able to use my VPN software on my Mac and my Windows installation at the same time is a crucial feature (for me at least).

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

dlhotka — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:17:28 GMT

Confirmed - it's my VPN software.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

nshirey — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:21:53 GMT

I am running OSX 10.4 (Tiger) on a macbook pro and have not lost keyboard input.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

patwoods — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:37:42 GMT

Forgot to add, running the ioreg terminal command gets me nothing in return so I assume it is not the secureinput referenced above here.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

patwoods — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:36:58 GMT

I have a variation of this as well. I have a MBP and several times a day I lose keyboard. The funny thing is also that my left-mouse-click now becomes reassigned and I cannot left-click. I try to double click a folder for example to open it, and it pops up the 'properties' instead. Quitting fusion and restarting (pain in the butt) seems to fix. This affects both a BootCamp Vista VM as well as a standard XP VM so it's not something on the windows side causing this.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

bgertzfield — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:23:23 GMT

Here's my comments from the thread that etung linked. Can the folks who are reporting keyboard trouble please run these commands, then report the results here on the thread?

We'll have to individually contact each of the vendors who are disabling keyboard input to Fusion.

===
Sounds like some application has turned on Secure Event Input, which unfortunately disables keyboard input to VMware Fusion when not in Unity mode. Can you try running the following from Terminal:

ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput

You'll see a line like:

| "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=4695, (...)

If you can then run:

ps auxww | grep 4695

where 4695 is the number you see after "kCGSSessionSecureInputPID", it'll tell you what program has enabled Secure Event Input.

If you could let us know which process has done this (and not disabled Secure Event Input when it was done), we can contact the software provider to let them know they're breaking Fusion.

Thanks for your patience!
===

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

Joe F — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:08:28 GMT

I have the same problem with my new MacBook Pro. I use XP in a virtual disk and Vista from Bootcamp and it happens to both, several times a day. I will hold off Fusion ordering until this gets fixed

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

PeteGingaNinja — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:09:12 GMT

It's the built-in keyboard on the macbook pro.

I tracked it down to the VPN software my company
uses. Turn it off, and the keyboard comes back.

Not using any VPN software! And have tried shutting down all other programs, but unless I reboot Mac, I cannot get the input back.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

PeteGingaNinja — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:08:19 GMT

What kind of keyboard do you have? If it is a blue
tooth keyboard, make sure that the VM isn't grabbing
the Bluetooth adapter (this will disconnect the
bluetooth keyboard from the mac).

It's the built in keyboard within the MacBook.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

dlhotka — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:35:25 GMT

It's the built-in keyboard on the macbook pro.

I tracked it down to the VPN software my company uses. Turn it off, and the keyboard comes back.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

vinayv — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:10:32 GMT

What kind of keyboard do you have? If it is a blue tooth keyboard, make sure that the VM isn't grabbing the Bluetooth adapter (this will disconnect the bluetooth keyboard from the mac).

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

dlhotka — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:50:06 GMT

Not a lepoard issue - happens to me and I'm still on tiger. MBP, RC1, mouse works, no keyboard after resume.

Re: Loss of Keyboard Input

etung — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:30:08 GMT

Check if this thread helps: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

Loss of Keyboard Input

PeteGingaNinja — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 18:57:32 GMT

I'm running RC 1 on Leopard 9A466 with Windows XP SP2 VL.

What I've noticed is now and again, I completely lose Keyboard Input. It's bizarre because the Start Key (Apple) works, but no other keys do, the mouse works fine. Now no matter what I do, I cannot grab the input again even if I reboot Win XP, close down Fusion and re-open, delete the Preferences, the only way to resolve it is to reboot Mac!

Now I don't know if this is a VMWare problem or a Leopard problem, so I will submit it to Apple as well, but would be nice to know if any one else is having this problem, perhaps on Tiger!