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Blaster20111014
Contributor
Contributor

Stop putting VM windows in bottom left corner of the screen

OS X El Capitan 10.11.4

Fusion 8.1.1

MacBook Pro 15 inch Retina

Dell 30 inch, 2560x1600 monitor

Hello VMware,

Every time I:

1. Use Fusion on the laptop screen with no external display connected

2. Shut down or suspend VM and quit Fusion

3. Change the primary display from the laptop screen to an external 30 inch, 2560x1600 monitor

4. Open Fusion

5. Start or resume a VM that was previously running on the laptop screen,

the VM window keeps opening in the bottom left corner of the 30 inch display.  See attached screenshot.  Users and developers who are using a small MacBook screen may not notice this issue, but it is very annoying for people who use large high resolution monitors.  I don't want to spend my time looking in the bottom left corner of the screen.  Imagine how much more annoying it will be for people who use 4K or 5K monitors at full resolution.  Please have your developers test their applications on the highest resolution monitors available, and update Fusion so VM windows open in the Center of the screen.

Pic1.png

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7 Replies
Blaster20111014
Contributor
Contributor

I can't be the only person who is having this problem.  Is this an Apple issue or a VMware issue?

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vmxmr
Expert
Expert

You may be one of a very few who is experiencing this issue. Most of us run our virtual machines on the same computer with the same screen. For me, virtual machine windows reappear where they were the last time I ran them.

Many applications exhibit the behavior you describe in various ways. It happens when you switch displays or change screen resolution from the same Mac. The important thing is that your window is visible in the display when you make the switch. I have seen similar things happen when I switch display resolutions to accommodate an old projector for presentations. My Desktop icons get rearranged. When I go back to the "normal" resolution, I am forced to arrange them in my preferred configuration. At least the icons don't disappear off-screen.

The default behavior could be changed by VMware developers, but I doubt that they would invest the developer resources and effort. This is what we call a "corner case."

No disrespect intended, but I would prefer if VMware would focus on much higher priority bug fixes, ones that affect core level functionality that we all use. If it were me, I would know where to look (bottom left corner) and simply drag the window where I want it when I change displays. The important thing is that the virtual machine window does not "disappear" off the screen entirely. That used to be a problem a long time ago.

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Blaster20111014
Contributor
Contributor

Let me see if I understand correctly.  It is your belief that:

1. Mac laptop users don't connect to large external monitors and use them as the main display.

2. Mac laptop users don't take their laptops out of the home or office, work on applications using only the laptop screen, return to home or office and change the primary display back to an external monitor, then work with those same applications on the external monitor.

Is this correct?

I want to know why this issue occurs in Fusion.  Is it because:

1. There is a bug in OS X and VMware feels that it is not their responsibility to work around bugs in Apple's OS?

2. Apple says the issue is VMware's fault?

3. This is an intentional design because someone at either Apple or VMware enjoys putting all his windows in the bottom left corner of the screen and decided to force the same behavior on everyone?

Which is it?  Can someone from VMware provide an explanation?

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ChipMcK
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

On my system, VMware Fusion opens a VM's window where the VM was last,  not just/only the bottom left corner.

So, your answer is none of the above.

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vmxmr
Expert
Expert

Let me see if I understand correctly.  It is your belief that:

1. Mac laptop users don't connect to large external monitors and use them as the main display.

2. Mac laptop users don't take their laptops out of the home or office, work on applications using only the laptop screen, return to home or office and change the primary display back to an external monitor, then work with those same applications on the external monitor.

Is this correct?

Answers to 1. and 2:

It is my belief that it is not as common as you would believe. Clearly some people do it, but it is my belief that they are a relatively small percentage of the overall VMware Fusion user population. To be clear, it is my belief based on personal experience - I do not have any inside information on actual VMware Fusion customer usage from VMware or any other source. .

I understand that it is a problem for your particular system and that it is very frustrating for you. Obviously it bothers you very much. I cannot explain why it happens on your system.

I have stated that if it were happening on my system, I would consider it a very minor annoyance. I would adjust the position of the window position each time it occurs, and then do my work. I might not like having to adjust the window position, but I could live with it. Frankly, I run other applications that pop up dialog boxes and windows in inexplicable places, and I deal with it.


I have also stated that I would prefer to see VMware devote its limited resources to fix some well-known bugs that VMware has acknowledged and replicated, and that affect many users, rather than invest the time on the specific issue that is documented in this thread.

To repeat: I am not trying to upset or antagonize you. It is clear that you are very frustrated with this issue. Nonetheless, if I were VMware, I would treat this as a corner case - document it, and then give it a low priority compared with other, more serious issues.

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Blaster20111014
Contributor
Contributor

In other words, you have no answer for why this issue is occurring.

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vmxmr
Expert
Expert

In other words, you have no answer for why this issue is occurring.

True.


Since you posted your original note, I have observed that the general issue is common to several applications that run on my Mac. They put windows in places where I do not want them. Moving them to the desired location does not ensure that they will appear where I want them when I launch the same program another time.

I found that when a new window appears on my screen in a location where I do not want it, I simply drag it to where I do want it. I do it without thinking about it (at least, before your original post). I realize that it seems to be a normal part of my work, and do not give it much thought at all. It does not bother me.

I do not deny that you have found a potential issue. You have made it clear that it bothers you greatly.

I will say once more that even if it is a genuine bug that VMware can fix, I would prefer to see VMware apply their resources and attention to other bugs that I consider much more serious.

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