Kensington MouseWorks 6.2.2 conflict

[Threllum]

I saw another thread about a problem with MouseWorks, but I'm not sure it referred to the same problem I'm having. If I install MouseWorks, the mouse stops working altogether until I reinstall VMWare tools. Reinstalling tools seems to simply disable the Kensington driver. I can still open MouseWorks after reinstalling VMWare tools, but I then see that no Kensington devices are being recognized. That appears to be because the VMWare Pointing Device is being recognized as a PS/2 device rather than an HID device. Is there any remedy for making the VMWare Pointing Device show up as an HID device, or is there any other way to allow the Kensington software to recognize the Kensington mouse that is connected? Thanks.

[admin]

If you use the normal mouse settings, you don't need the MouseWorks drivers because the guest will not see your actual mouse. If you want the guest to see the actual mouse (say for extra buttons or a tablet), you need to tell Fusion to allow the connection of USB HID. This is disabled by default because if you connect all your input devices to the virtual machine, you'll be trapped in it and be unable to reliably get out.

To connect USB HID, shut down your virtual machine and quit Fusion, then either use my program[/url] or directly edit the vmx file to contain usb.generic.allowHID = "TRUE"[/code]

[Threllum]

I used your application to edit the vmx file. I opened your app, opened my vmx file, saw that the usb.generice.allowHID key wasn't present, went to Preconfigured Options, selected Show USB HID from the USB HID pop-up menu, observed that the key then existed, saved, and quit. I launched my virtual machine in VMWare and installed MouseWorks 6.2.2, then allowed the installer to restart the VM. The mouse ceased to function just as it typically has done after installing MouseWorks, so I had to run the VMWare tools repair installation and use keyboard equivalents to get through it as I have grown accustomed to doing.

Is there anything else to try?

Thanks.

[admin]

Did you actually attach the mouse to the virtual machine?

[Threllum]

Please pardon me for substituting use of the forums for being more acquainted with the documentation, it's just that this is the only significant issue I've encountered since recently switching from Parallels (which was by no means immune to mouse problems, either). I assumed what was necessary was simply to have the mouse connected physically. What should I read that might tell me how to attach the mouse to the virtual machine? Thanks.

[admin]

Normally, Fusion emulates a two-button PS/2 wheel mouse, and for most cases, this is adequate. It's only for cases where the user wants advanced mouse functionality that this sort of fiddling is necessary. Once the usb.generic.allowHID line is added to the vmx, HID are treated like any other USB device, and still needs to be connected to the virtual machine before the guest can see it. You can do this via the Virtual Machine menu or via the icons in the lower right. Find the entry corresponding to your mouse and connect it.

NOTE: Once you do this, you'll have to ungrab with ctrl-cmd or have another mouse in order to use the mouse in OS X, since the guest now "owns" the mouse.

[Threllum]

Thanks. But when I connect the Kensington mouse this way, and ungrab with ctrl-cmd, the cursor isn't released to work for the Mac and if I press ctrl-cmd again to get the mouse reclaimed by Fusion, the cursor outline no longer moves, although there is, however, apparently a cursor that I can't see, because I get a contextual menu with a right-click, and moving the mouse apparently changes the position of the cursor, although it remains invisible. My mouse works fine when I boot into Boot Camp with the same version of Windows and the same version of MouseWorks, so I think the issue is isolated to Fusion (no, I'm not using my Boot Camp volume as the VM being used to test your suggestions, rather, this VM was converted from my Parallels VM, although the problem as first reported does also exist when I use my Boot Camp partition as the Fusion VM).

Do you think it might be worthwhile to try to set HID = true for the Boot Camp Fusion VM to see whether something leftover from the Parallels installation might be causing the issue?

If I can to find a way to get the mouse to be released to the Mac when I press ctrl-cmd, and to get the cursor to reappear when I press ctrl-cmd again, I think the problem will be solved. Thanks again.

[admin]

Sorry, I'm not sure what I was thinking when I said ctrl-cmd would release the mouse. It won't. I should post less and think more

[Threllum]

Nevertheless, pressing ctrl-cmd does something, in my case something that I wouldn't want done, ever. Is there no way then to release the mouse with a keyboard shortcut? If not, does that mean that you have to shut down and quit Fusion to get it back?

[admin]

I have no idea what ctrl-cmd is doing in this case; are you getting the contextual menu in the guest or on the host? If the host, are you able to get the menu outside the virtual machine window?

To release the mouse after you attach it to the VM, you need some way to detach the mouse from the guest. Apart from attaching a second mouse or shutting down the guest, I'm not sure of a way to do this.

One thing you could try is adding a keyboard shortcut to disconnect the mouse (Apple menu > Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts, + button, specify Fusion as the app and the menu entry, then some unused shortcut). Then you might be able to ctrl-cmd to release the keyboard, and follow up with the defined shortcut to detach the mouse.

[Threllum]

It's the guest where I'm getting the contextual menu for the left mouse button. It's no good though, because while I originally thought that it was the cmd-ctl key combination that resulted in this incorrect remapping of the Kensington mouse buttons, it actually happens all the time, now (that is, I can't find a way to get a simple click assigned to any button, something that the Kensington software should do automatically). Thanks.

[admin]

Threllum,

Can you try this workaround for the original problem (disable other workarounds temporarily): add mouse.vusb.enable="true"[/code] to the vmx file and see if that lets you install MouseWorks?

[Fist_of_Fury]

There is without doubt a conflict between windows XP and mouseworks. I have been struggling with it for 2 years.

First of when you install mouseworks it will work ok until you reboot....the acceleration goes crazy.

Run Error Doctor it comes up as a High Priority Error. Windows XP in some cases asks you if you want to keep these files......or it can make windows unstable.

I happen to need this driver and Kensington and Window are sitting about scratching their backsides and appantly doing nothing about it.

I just upgraded my whole computer and the problems I am having because of MouseWorks is breaking my bones.

I just tried to install my Creative Sound Blaster Audigy drivers and the self extractor was shut down by Windows. When I checked why......you guessed it KW dll...........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

My advice if you need this driver is to install everything on your computer you are going to.....then install MouseWorks Last.......If you have to install something else delete MW first run Error Doctor and then reinstall it after you have installed whatever.........works for me. The aforementioned was me messing about to see what would happen if I installed MS first.

Once you are set up and are installing MW get hold of XP manager or some program that can turn of "WINDOWS FILE PROTECTION" then it will be intact after you reboot.

Personally I think it's a disgrace a company like Kensington can't have a word with Microsoft and sort this problem out.

I emailed them when I had a VM and they told me I never needed a driver........So I bought one that did need a driver and still have the same problem,,,,,,,,,,fine help they were LOL