Spaces in MacOs Running as a Guest of An Instance of MacOS with VMWare Fusion

[danallenhtn]

Is there a way to get spaces working in macos running as a guest within macos?  Attached image shows what I mean.

Any information you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

[dempson · Accepted solution]

Yes. In the VM, launch Mission Control (in Applications) which gives you the multi-desktop view, lets you create and delete spaces (desktops), move windows, etc.

See also System Preferences under the Mission Control category, and keyboard shortcuts under Keyboard > Shortcuts > Mission Control.

You will need to configure the host and guest to have different keyboard shortcuts, otherwise the host will get priority.

I was able to get this working in my Sierra and Mojave VMs. (I already have different keyboard shortcuts configured on the host OS because the standard ones get in the way of some software I use, so I had no conflict with the guest.)

[danallenhtn]

Thank you for passing on your first hand knowledge. 

Are the keyboard shortcuts setup through the Mac preferences?

I understand the solution you provided but I am not sure how the keyboard manipulations are done.  I understand the shortcut keys on the guest and host will have to be different, since both machines use the same keyboard.  Is it possible to plug an extra key board into my computer so each machine has its own keyboard?

[dempson]

The keyboard shortcuts can be configured (for both host and guest) in System Preferences:

System Preferences > Mission Control lets you pick a limited set of choices from a menu: control with a particular arrow key, or numbered function keys (hold down modifier keys to use modifier keys in combination with numbered function keys), or a specific modifier key by itself.

System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Mission Control lets you assign any key combination you can type, e.g. you could use some combination of modifiers with a letter or number key.

The Mac's "special function" keys (icons on the numbered function keys, possibly in combination with the "fn" key depending on a the "Use F1, F2, etc." setting in System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard) are hard wired to specific functions and are not affected by the key assignments in either of the two areas above.

For example, the "three rectangles on F3" key is Mission Control. That key by itself (or with "fn" if that is configured) shows Mission Control on the host. Modifier keys in combination with that key give you variants: control for "Application Windows", command for "Show Desktop", option for "Mission Control Preferences". If your Mac has a Touch Bar, its Mission Control button in the Control Strip area should operate the same way.

As far as I can tell, you cannot assign a specific USB keyboard or mouse to a virtual machine. If you have multiple keyboards they all control the host, with keypresses passed through to the guest while it is the active window (unless the host or software running on it intercepts the key combination, or VMware Fusion interprets it as a command to Fusion).

[wila]

Hi,

As far as I can tell, you cannot assign a specific USB keyboard or mouse to a virtual machine.

Oh, you actually can. If it is the right thing to do is another matter (you might end up without a keyboard/mouse to use your host)

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1003418

--

Wil

[dempson]

Thanks for the KB link. I forgot about the possibility of directly editing configuration files, and was only looking at behaviour available via the user interface.

Somewhat risky, but assuming you set it up correctly then it should allow a dedicated keyboard for a macOS VM with all the "special function" keys working like they do on the host, and no need to assign different keys to Mission Control (or for other features).