VMware Communities
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Keyboard shortcuts stopped working on external keyboard

Hi,

Not sure if it is my keyboard or something else, but I noticed the following after an upgrade to Fusion 5.0.2

I use a Macbook 2012 with an external usb keyboard, mouse and external screen. Basically as a semi portable desktop Smiley Wink

This worked well for me.

After the update I notice that my keyboard shortcuts no longer work in Windows XP and Windows 7.

For example for "MS Paint" I defined Ctrl+Alt+M as a shortcut to quickly start Paint..

On my USB keyboard this does not work anymore, on the keyboard in the macbook itself it still works fine.

You can setup shortcuts by right clicking in the start menu on the application you want to setup, then select properties and enter the shortcut.

For example here's my definition on MS Paint in Windows 7.

MSPaint-keyboard-shortcut.png

I would appreciate if anybody out there can test if this still works for them with an external keyboard or not.

thanks,

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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7 Replies
WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

There have been several issues reported surrounding the combination of a recent Apple Update and VMware Fusion 5.0.2 and or just the update itself and VMware is looking into it.  I'd suggest downgrading to the previous version you were using before the 5.0.2 update that you were not having issues with and wait for the 5.0.3 update. Smiley Wink

Wil, BTW.. How's things going in Thailand?

wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hello Woody,

Thanks, yes I am aware about the apple update issues. I also noticed that the apple update was not a security issue so have decided not to run it until VMware has had a chance to look into the issue and get a fix past Q&A.

Downgrading would indeed be a way to troubleshoot the issue myself further, but as this also involves downgrading vmware tools, it is a bit of a hassle.

I am just hoping that someone with a similar setup would have the time to run a quick test.

re. Thailand is still amazing Smiley Happy

ขอบคุณครับ

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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rite
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Does 'Ctrl-C' work with your external keyboard? Find out which key is not working, 'Ctrl', 'Alt' or the combine of them?

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hello rite,

Thanks for your reply.

Sure Ctrl+C works fine as does for example Ctrl+A or Ctrl+Alt.

Even Ctrl+M works or Alt+M. I can use any of those as keys to define shortcuts in an editor that I use, but not Ctrl+Alt+M as the program does not recognize the key combination.

But in that editor I can set shortcut key definitions for Ctrl+Alt+K and Ctrl+Alt+L.

However the combination Ctrl+Alt+M does not work, I've not yet found out why, maybe because it is used elsewhere?

In addition I found that another shortcut defined for starting MS Calculator (Ctrl+Alt+C) actually does work.

For the moment I'm puzzled.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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rite
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I think it really maybe that combination is used somewhere. If you cannot find out where it is used, just change to another combination like 'Ctrl-Alt-P'. Smiley Happy

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

rite wrote:

I think it really maybe that combination is used somewhere. If you cannot find out where it is used, just change to another combination like 'Ctrl-Alt-P'.

Hmm.. that explanation would have made sense if the same keyboard combination would not have worked when using the laptop keyboard, but using the laptop keyboard it works fine.

Using that same rhetoric I'd rather believe that my keyboard has a problem, but unfortunately I cannot verify that as I only have one USB keyboard in this country.

Back in Holland I would have plugged in another one to test and verify, here in Thailand.. no such luck, but I might buy another one if I get sufficiently annoyed by it. Smiley Happy

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Wil van Antwerpen wrote:

Using that same rhetoric I'd rather believe that my keyboard has a problem, but unfortunately I cannot verify that as I only have one USB keyboard in this country.

and we have a winner, just bought a new keyboard to replace the <fill the adjective in yourself> Hirex keyboard and the problem is gone.

Smiley Happy

Not a VMware Fusion problem.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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