"Windows Key" not working inside ubuntu VM

[deviation1]

I am running VMWare inside Windows 7, and I have ubuntu 10.04 installed inside of vmware. When I try and assign my keyboard's 'Windows Key' to the "Show the panel's main menu" function within System->Preferences->Keyboard Shortcuts, it isn't detecting the key press. I've tried different types of keyboard setups in System->Preferences->Keyboard, but nothing seems to make any difference.

Is there a solution to this problem? Just a minor annoyance, but it'd make the experience a lot better for me.

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[admin]

I would suggest you to use the latest version of VMware Player 3.1 please.

[deviation1]

I am using VMWare Player 3.1.0 Build 261024

[RParker]

You have vmtools installed on ubuntu?

[oreeh]

The "Windows" key usually is used as the Meta key in *NIX like operating systems.

You have to remove this assignment first (make sure to define another key as the Meta key).

[RParker]

The "Windows" key usually is used as the Meta key in *NIX like operating systems

Even if that's true, he says it doesn't recognize the key press from his physical keyboard, so if it's assigned to something it should STILL indicate this by reacting to the key press, but that doesn't appear to be happening.

[oreeh]

A *NIX modifier key isn't recognized (at least not in common user programs) without pressing another key - see the man page of xmodmap and / or the xkeyboard protocol specs for the gory details.

[deviation1]

Yes I do

[deviation1]

I'll check out the xmodmap man page.

The funny thing is that I'm sure I've read reports of other people who've had this sort of scenario working before. I might have had this working myself before actually.

[deviation1]

So xmodmap is just a utility to edit keyboard mappings (except the keypress isn't even detected within the xwindows system, so this isn't going to be helpful). The issue has to be something with the way VMWare is communicating with the guest OS, since the key press actually works in the host OS, and the windows key (which has probably been around for about 15 years..) works for people using ubuntu as their native operating system. Anyone else have any suggestions?

[oreeh · Accepted solution]

The issue has to be something with the way VMWare is communicating with the guest OS,

since the key press actually works in the host OS, and the windows key (which has probably

been around for about 15 years..) works for people using ubuntu as their native operating system.

1. Your host OS (Windows) and your guest (Linux) work completely different when it comes to keypresses

2. I'm running Linux as a host and I'm only able to assign the Windows key (regardless if it is in the host or in one of the Linux guests) if I don't use it as a modifier

[deviation1]

I realize they work differently when it comes to keypresses. They also work differently when it comes to networking, displaying information on the screen, interpreting mouse clicks, handling memory, reading from/writing to the hard disk, etc.. VMWare is software that's designed to make this transparent.

If you look for instructions on how to assign the windows key to anything in ubuntu (running as the main OS), it's as straightforward as can be. There's no mention of using it as a modifier.

[Sandbank]

You are describing a limitation of ubuntu. Even if you install plain ubuntu on a hardware computer, not involving vmware at all, ubunto will not accept the windows key as a shortcut. But you can use a combination of the windows key and another key. For example, I use the windows key plus the space bar.

[deviation1]

My sincere apologies to oreeh. It looks as though it is a limitation in ubuntu and not with vmware (as sandbank said). I just tried it on a co-workers computer who has ubuntu installed as the native OS. It's odd that it would treat the windows key like a modifier. Thanks very much guys for your help.