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LuciusLeftfoot
Contributor
Contributor

Shift key lagged in Remote Desktop

I use Remote Desktop to get to my machine at work a lot and everything works fine on my PC.

When I use Fusion (Vista64 guest machine) though, and Remote Desktop into my work machine, the SHIFT key is somewhat delayed which makes it frustrating to type. Half the time when I try to type an uppercase letter or anything else that requires the SHIFT key, the Remote Desktop doesn't register the SHIFT key before I hit the other key and I get a lowercase letter. I can get the correct letter if I deliberately hold the SHIFT key down for a second before typing the other letter but that is error-prone at best and it slows me way down.

Has anyone else seen this behavior? Any known fix?

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11 Replies
LuciusLeftfoot
Contributor
Contributor

Update: This also happens for other modifier keys like ALT.

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markshel
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi,

I have not been able to reproduce this issue, though I have a couple of questions about your setup. Are you using Fusion's keyboard remapping feature, as in is the "Enable Key Mappings" checkbox checked? If so do any of these remapping involve the modifier keys you are experiencing trouble with? Are you using Unity when you experience this issue?

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LuciusLeftfoot
Contributor
Contributor

Hey, that fixed it! I had Enable Key Mappings checked and I unchecked it and now the shift key isn't lagged anymore.

To narrow it down for you, I found the key mapping that was causing the problem. I had one that went from ShiftOptionF9 to F9. If I Enable Key Mappings but disable that particular mapping, then shift works correctly.

Thanks for the help!

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markshel
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

I am very glad to know that disabling the one keybinding fixed your issues. While not important I would like to understand how users are using the keyremapping feature and I am intrigued by your key binding of Shift-Option+F9 to F9. Would you mind explaining what you use this keybinding for?

Thanks,

Mark

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LuciusLeftfoot
Contributor
Contributor

I think I was having trouble getting F9 to work in the VM.. it kept doing the Mac key where it'd shrink all the windows to fit on your screen. So I made a weird key combo that would get me F9 in the VM.

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markshel
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Thank you for the response. I would like to suggest a couple of other methods you could have used to send F9 to the guest in case you run into a similar issue in the future.

By default Fusion will send key combinations such as Exposé to Mac OS not the VM. This behavior can be switched by unchecking "Enable Mac OS Keyboard Shortcuts" which is located in Preferences, Keyboard & Mouse, Mac OS Shortcuts. It is also possible to use the Send Key menu which is in the Virtual Machine menu to send a number of often troublesome keys, including F9, to the VM.

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giridharan
Contributor
Contributor

I too have the problem of using shiftkey in my Virtual machine. Being a non technical person please help to understand how to uncheck the key mappings. I don't know where the option is available.

Kindly help me

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dakeyras
Contributor
Contributor

I had a similar issue - I had bound Command - Shift - P to Alt+PrintScrn (for doing a screengrab of a single window in Windows). Disabling that shortcut fixed the lag that has been bugging me for months Smiley Happy

-Noah

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snootalope
Contributor
Contributor

Where is this keyboard mapping that you guys are talking about? Is it on the client or can it be forced by the terminal server?

Our users actually connect via a Cisco SSL/VPN and Internet Explorer, so the client is actually the active x in their browser, no real option to set anything like going to Start/Progs/Accessories/Communications/Remote Desktop.. we're definitley seeing the shift key lag issue though..

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ChipMcK
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

VMware Fusion --> Preferences

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plastic1
Contributor
Contributor

Just wanted to chime in 10 years later - the original suggestion is still the solution, even in VMWare Horizon Client.

VMWare Horizon Client -> Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Key Mappings -> Uncheck "Enable Language Specific Key Mappings"

This of course is going to disable these key mappings, but a small price to pay.  Remote connections behave as expected when typing fast!

Screen Shot 2019-12-08 at 6.54.31 PM.png

Screen Shot 2019-12-08 at 6.52.16 PM.png

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