Personally, I think there should be a keyboard shortcut equivalent for EVERY action in the UI, for accessibility.
Anyway, I came up with a good-enough-for-me workaround, using an AutoHotkey macro.
You may have to adjust some things if you are not using Workstation 6.5 in Windows XP:
;**********************************************
;** AutoExclusive macro
; description: hotkey for "Exclusive Mode" in VMware Workstation:
; dependencies: AutoHotkey.exe, www.autohotkey.com
; compatibility:
; - this macro tested with Workstation 6.5 / Windows XP
; - works with all host screen resolutions tested
; installation: paste this macro into your AutoHotkey.ini
; running: press CtrlAltV (or set your own preference)
; preconditions:
; - full screen toolbar MUST be set to "pinned" mode
; - active app = VMware Workstation;
; -- VMware must not be in full-screen mode;
; -- cursor must not be grabbed by the VM
; - active tab = a virtual machine; must be running;
; - view mode = "Center Guest (no resolution change)"
; action:
; - sends "Control+Alt" to activate full screen;
; - clicks VMWare logo in full-screen toolbar;
; - select "Exclusive Mode" in menu.
; on failure:
; - if VMware not the active window, or if VM not running,
; or full-screen toolbar not pinned, user sees a message box.
; ver. 1.0, 02-Jun-2009
; (cc by-sa) cranky AT cad 2 data dot com 2009
;
^!v::
{
;*** Magic numbers (may need to be tweaked) ***
;
; the width of the full-screen toolbar
tbarWid := 490 ;
; pixel offset from left edge of full-screen toolbar
; to center of VMware logo button
logoX := 35 ;
; the menu item for Exclusive Mode:
menuId := 7 ;
; verify VMware is the active application,
; using the class name (obtained with Window Spy++)
WinWait, ahk_class VMUIFrame, , 1 ;
IfWinNotActive, ahk_class VMUIFrame
{
MsgBox, , AutoExclusive macro, VMware not active ;
Exit ;
}
Sleep, 100 ;
;Send "CtrlAltEnter" to go Full Screen:
Send, ;
Sleep, 100 ;
;Send "Ctrl+Alt" to release input:
Send, ;
Sleep, 100 ;
; verify full-screen toolbar available:
;tbClass := "ATL:005B8308" ;
tbClass := "MKSEmbedded" ;
DetectHiddenWindows, On ;
IfWinNotExist, ahk_class %tbClass%
{
MsgBox, , AutoExclusive macro, Can't find VMware full-screen toolbar ;
DetectHiddenWindows, Off ;
Exit ;
}
DetectHiddenWindows, Off ;
; get screen width:
WinGetPos, , , scrWid, , Program Manager ;
; full-screen toolbar: click VMWare logo
; (calculate position to click based on screen width)
logoX := (scrWid / 2) - (tbarWid / 2) + logoX ;
; next 2 lines are for debugging...
;MouseMove, %logoX%, 10, 50 ;
;Sleep, 1000 ;
MouseClick, left, %logoX%, 10 ;
Sleep, 100 ;
;full-screen toolbar: click Exclusive
SendInput, {Down %menuId%} ;
Sleep, 100 ;
Exit ;
}
)