Synergy-core: Modifier Keys stop working on a VM on Mac client

[nbolton]

Imported issue:

• Author: Ed Farnbauch
• Date: 2012-04-09 15:03:12
• Legacy ID: 3153
• Version: 1.4.7

Steps to reproduce:

1. setup vm in vmware fusion
2. start synergy
3. Attempt to use modifier keys on any window in VM

Expected: Modifier keys work (ie. shift produces capital letters)
Actual: Produces just the unmodified key (T is t, or is t)

Versions (Synergy, OS):

Server: (Linux (has tested on Fedora, Mint, and RHEL 6)
Client 1: 1.47 (Mac OS X 10.7 (all versions))
(though this has been an issue for several versions)

Workaround:

I can use caps lock to get a capital letter. but not for any of the other modifier keys

[nbolton]

• Author: Ned Ludd
• Date: 2012-04-19 19:12:33

I have the same issue with Parallels.

Versions
Server: 1.4.6 (Arch Linux)
Client: 1.3.8 (Mac OS X 10.7)
Parallels: 6
VM: Windows XP

[nbolton]

• Author: Ed Farnbauch
• Date: 2012-04-19 19:15:41

I switched yesterday to parallels also, I can verify Parallels also has this issue.

Server: 1.47 (Linux (has tested on Fedora, Mint, and RHEL 6)
Client 1: 1.47 (Mac OS X 10.7 (all versions))

[nbolton]

• Author: Ed Farnbauch
• Date: 2012-05-03 15:16:29

Decided to upgrade to vmware fusion 4 instead of 3 and capital letters work now as do modifier keys... only thing missing from my setup is mac still does not understand double clicks.

W00t!

[nbolton]

• Author: Eric Amodio
• Date: 2012-07-06 19:45:49

I am having the same issue with Parallels:

Server: 1.4.8 (Windows 7 SP1)
Client: 1.4.8 (Mac OS X 10.7.4)
VM: Windows 7 SP1 under Parallels

The modifier keys work fine on the Mac, but in the VM no modifiers seem to work at all (though the Mac keyboard still functions correctly)

[nbolton]

• Author: Aaron Solochek
• Date: 2012-07-13 19:37:27

Same issue here. Server is 1.4.8 on linux, client is 1.4.8 on osx lion, and parallels has a windows 7 guest. i was hoping parallels was going to be an improvement over vmware, but so far it's unusable.

[nbolton]

• Author: Eric Amodio
• Date: 2012-07-17 22:35:40

Still an issue on 1.4.9.

Server: 1.4.9 (Windows 7 SP1) Client: 1.4.9 (Mac OS X 10.7.4) VM: Windows 7 SP1 under Parallels

[nbolton]

• Author: Alan Hoyle
• Date: 2012-08-27 21:00:41

Still and issue on 1.4.10. Server: 1.4.10 (Ubuntu 12.04), Client: 1.4.10 (OSX 10.8.1) VM: (Windows 7 SP1) under Parallels 7.

For what it's worth, I think VirtualBox does NOT appear to exhibit this problem, but has other problems for me that make it undesirable for my task.

[nbolton]

• Author: Alan Hoyle
• Date: 2012-08-27 21:54:56

I tried this with an Ubuntu 12.04 VM as well, and the modifier keys fail to work there as well.

Shift, Ctrl and Alt all don't work.

[nbolton]

• Author: Chuck Kahn
• Date: 2012-09-17 20:03:04

Same issue -- no modifier keys work, only caps lock works, but can't copy and paste in VM using Synergy server keyboard because that requires ctrl-c, ctrl-v.
Server: 1.4.10 (Mac OS 10.5.6) Client: 1.4.10 (Mac OS 10.8) VM: Windows 7 SP1 under Parallels 8.0.18101

[nbolton]

• Author: Manolis Kp
• Date: 2012-09-21 11:58:57

Same issue, synergy 1.4.10 for OSX both server and client with Parallels Desktop running Win7, this is a pretty critical issue, causes lots of problems

[nbolton]

• Author: Tristan Cartledge
• Date: 2012-09-28 08:44:06

Would very much like to see a resolution to this issue! I'm using 1.4.10

[nbolton]

• Author: Ben Lewis
• Date: 2012-09-28 11:01:37

Same problem here. Tried nightly and still the same problem.

Windows 7 32-bit server + Mac OSX 10.8.2 Client

Using Parallels 7.0.15107

[nbolton]

• Author: Chuck Kahn
• Date: 2012-10-31 19:21:15

Working after latest Parallels update. Server: 1.4.10 (Mac OS 10.5.6) Client: 1.4.10 (Mac OS 10.8.2) VM: Windows 7 SP1 under Parallels 8.0.18305.811918

[nbolton]

• Author: Tami Wright
• Date: 2013-02-25 18:12:32

Still have this same problem with Mac 10.8.2 as server, Mac 10.8.2 as client, and Parallels 8 as VM on client

[nbolton]

• Author: Johnny Sung
• Date: 2013-03-11 05:20:13

I faced the bug, too.

Mac OSX 10.8.2 act as server
And use Mac OSX 10.8.2 act as client
which install Parallels desktop Build 7.0.15107
and run windows 7.
both client and server use Synergy ver 1.4.10.

I don't know it is bug come from Parallels or Synergy.
Is there has a workaround?

No Alt/Ctrl/Shift/Win Key is a big problem.

[nbolton]

• Author: Jeffrey Caughel
• Date: 2013-03-21 14:26:46

If it's of any help at all, the NumLock state is not making it to the VM either, but the keystrokes themselves are.

[the-wes]

A user sent in this information:

The Command key does get detected properly. Pressing Shift along with a character does not result in seeing a capital letter. Also, pressing Ctrl-Option does not generate the same keystroke through Synergy that it does with the physical keyboard. The Ctrl-Option combination is used in Parallels to release focus on the VM so the keyboard and mouse control revert back to the OS.

I ran showkeys in the terminal on Fedora in the VM and found the following:

Physical keyboard:

Press and release shift:
keycode 42 press
keycode 42 release
Press and release control:
keycode 29 press
keycode 29 release
Press and release option:
keycode 56 press
keycode 56 release
Press shift, then Z, release Z, release shift:
keycode 42 press
keycode 44 press
keycode 44 release
keycode 42 release

The last combination also displays an uppercase Z on the terminal window.

[lordarcy]

I was the user that sent in the details the-wed mentioned on May 16. More details of the environment:

Server = Mac OS 10.10.5 Yosemite
Client = Mac OS 10.11.4 El Capitan
Using Parallels Desktop 11.2.0.32581
VM = Fedora 23

[kryojenik]

Server = Mac OS 10.9.5
Client = Mac OS 10.11.4 El Capitan
Using Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.31

Modifier keys in Microsoft Remote Desktop are ignored

[TryTryAgain]

Confirmed by me for a while as well, very painful.
Software: Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.32 (Build 27142)
Host: Ubuntu 16.04
Client: OSX 10.11.5 Desktop, worked with CoRD and others, must be a Synergy OSX Client --> Microsoft Remote Desktop issue :(

[lordarcy]

As a work-around if you are only using a Mac as both host and client is to use Teleport until this can get fixed.

[melliott-sis]

This is an issue for me as well
Host: OS X 10.11.16
Client: OS X 10.11.16
Shift key does not work inside Remote Desktop or Royal TSX

[kryojenik]

I switched to sharemouse for this reason.

On Oct 14, 2016 2:42 PM, "Matt Elliott" [email protected] wrote:

This is an issue for me as well
Host: OS X 10.11.16
Client: OS X 10.11.16
Shift key does not work inside Remote Desktop or Royal TSX

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[hgijeon]

This makes me crazy right now. I can't even type any uppercase letters in Parallels VM.

Synergy = 1.8.6-stable-2ab21aa

Server = Ubuntu 16.04
Client = Mac OS 10.12.2 Sierra

Using Parallels Desktop 12.1.1 on Client(Mac)
VM = Windows10 Pro 1607

[lordarcy]

I am using Synergy 1.7.4 on my server and client Mac (Yosemite on server, El Capitan on client) and the modifier keys are working now. I'm not sure what happened because I didn't write down the version of Synergy that I was using back in May. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Synergy on both computers several times.

[Spasi]

Same issue. Setup:

Server = Windows 10
Client = macOS Sierra 10.12.3
VM = Ubuntu 16.04 running on Veertu Desktop

[sdcarpenter]

I've submitted a pull request that address this bug for the most recent version of Parallels and Synergy. Unfortunately the fix is currently specific to Parallels and a bit of a hack (https://github.com/symless/synergy/pull/6064). If the owners find it useful, perhaps we can extend this fix to the other apps mentioned in this bug.

[fidesachates]

Confirmed issue and would very much like a fix.

Server: Windows Server 2008
Client: Mac OSX 10.12.4
VM: Windows 10 on Parallels

[bricerebsamen]

confirmed issue and would very much like the fix to get merged and a new version released.
Server: Ubuntu 14.04
Client: Max OSX 10.12.5
VM: Ubuntu 14.04
Synergy: 1.8.8

[jorhett]

@nbolton why do you keep marking this obsolete and legacy and what have you, without any fix?

[iMilnb]

This bug still occurs with synergy-core 2.0.0

Server: Linux Mint 18
Client: Debian 9 on Parallels 13.1.1 (macOS 10.12.6)

[chewph]

When is this problem ever going to be resolved?

[dmatora]

having same issue with 2.0.2 and two Macs

[carceneaux]

I have a workaround to get the numpad working!

• Connect a USB keyboard directly to your Mac (It doesn't have to be the same keyboard Synergy is using.).
• Press the Num Lock key and verify numpad is now working properly.
• Disconnect USB keyboard and the settings stick.

[benedmunds]

Bump, I'm having the same issue. Mac server, mac client, windows VM on the Mac client. Only in Parallels though, VirtualBox is fine.

[brabidou]

BUMP! Looks like this has been a bug for years now. How has Synergy not address this? This issue is all over the Synergy forums.

[Garbee]

I hate to be just adding more oxygen to the flame. But this issue is now 7 years old. Meanwhile, anyone who is stuck developing inside of, at least, Windows VMs on a Mac is hosed for using Synergy at all. If I need to keep another keyboard around to get basic keystrokes into a VM, I might as well just use a whole second keyboard and mouse.

Is there any kind of update that could be given as to if this is even on the dev team's roadmap of things to look at in a given quarter/year? Or should those of us needing a virtual KVM solution look elsewhere if we need to use Parallels?

[MartinRJ]

Still not fixed.

[vipzen]

I'm having the same issue. Two Macs, server is Catalina, client is Mojave running Parallels 14.

[rajlego]

Same issue on parallels 15.