Emulating right-click in windows under Parallels Desktop | Comments (16)
Posted in Apple on 8th October 2006, 9:33 pm by Stuart
Update: Mark has pointed out in the comments below that two fingered clicking is supported at a hardware level. If you you like two-fingered clicking then there’s nothing to be gained by carrying out this tip.
Intel macs are without doubt the absolute best machines for devloping websites with. With the aid of Parallels desktop for mac it’s possible to have all of the necessary browsers at your finger tips.
In a previous post I covered a re-mapping the apple (command) key to make the experience of using an apple keyboard much more bearable when using windows as a virtual machine. One of the things that eluded me at the time was providing a means of being able to use Ctrl+click as a right mouse click.
Now when I’m at work with my external mouse that’s no problem but if you ever use your apple laptop at home or out and about and you want that key/mouse combo that you’re used to, then this tip might help, at least until this functionality makes it’s way into the parallels tools. So here’s how:
- Download and install the wonderful AutoHotKey (free)
- Create a new text file called remap.ahk in the root of your C:/ drive or somewhere sensible.
- Add the line
^LButton::RButtonand save the file - Drag the file into your start-up menu so that it runs every time the windows VM starts
Next time you reboot your Windows VM you will be able to access right click context menus with Ctrl+click.
Or you could do what I did when I got my new mac. Get a “real” mouse with 3 buttons including a mouse wheel. Could not live without it, even on a mac
Works great with Parallel too.
This is a nice trick if you don’t have such a mouse.
@Pascal: Like I said in the post using an external mouse is the best bet but when you’ve got used to that and then try and do stuff using just the built-in mouse it becomese really annoying that you can’t do right-clicks.
Long term it would be nice if mac laptops got 2 mouse buttons as the lack of the second mouse buttons seems a little ridiculous these days. Screw the aesthetically pleasing single mouse button!
The track-pad contextual menu combo (two fingers on the track pad while clicking the button) works fine in both Windows and Ubuntu. So does the two finger scrolling. No plug-ins required.
@Mark: Good point. Personally I find two-fingered clicking a bit clunky because I am more used to ctrl+click. But like you point out if you like two-fingered clicking then that negates the need to carry out this tip.
Tnx! This makes it (for me) much more seamless. I too am finding the two finger solution for right click very usable..
best regards
What’s this two fingered clicking thing? I tried it several times, and for me it doesn’t do anything.. the autohotkey trick did it, though. Finally I can use Windows on parallels almost normally also when I’m in a net cafe (like right now) without having to drag a mouse around with me. At home I can’t live without my mighty mouse, but I don’t want to have to carry it with me everywhere I go.
I tried one,two and three fingers on touchpad while clicking and also double clicking just to be sure, and I don’t see any difference to normal behavior in Windows. What am I doing wrong?
@ArZka: Maybe you haven’t double-fingered clicking switched on. Go to System Preference -> Keyboard and Mouse -> Trakpad and check that “Place two fingers on trackpad and click button for secondary click” is ticked.
Also note that in the latest beta of Parallels (Build >=3036)I’m pretty sure Ctrl+click right-clicking mapping has been added.
Parrells has a right click simulation option. Under Parraells preferences, hot keys tab, there is an option for shift+ctrl for right click
Works great!
There is now a built-in option for right-click to be handled by Parallels. However, at the time of writing, this feature did not exists AFAIK
When I installed parallels, it was set up to recognize “ctrl+shift” as simulated right click, but if your intel mac came with a mighty mouse, you can set your mouse to recognize touches in a variety of places, including setting either the right or left side as 2nd click, which works exactly the same as right click in windows and ctrl click on mac.
To help clarify what the last post suggests… if you’re using a mighty mouse or any device with a right click and left click:
In Mac OS, go to System Preferences>Keyboard and Mouse>Mouse settings. You’ll likely discover that the right and left clicks on the mighty mouse have a default setting of “primary.” So this explains why the right click with the mouse doesn’t work at first in Parallels.
Change the right click on the mouse to “secondary” and now Parallels handles right clicks exactly the same as when using a PC.
Why don’t you just press the right apple key when you click? It does exactly what crtl kick does…
Sorry, I meant do it in Parallels and it has the same effect in windows as ctrl clicking in Mac OS
First - that two fingered clicking thing is awesome. I’m not a big fan of the one button the MacBook Pro, so this tip came in SUPER handy.
Ok - I have parallels running, but it won’t recognize the scrolling ball on the mighty mouse. I have to pull on the scroll bars which is very annoying. Okay, so maybe I’m just lazy. Either way, I’d really love to have this feature in Win XP on Parallels.
Any help would be appreciated.
mighty mouse + WinXP on Parallels works great
Excellent article! Very helpful, thanks!