host window manager shortcuts interfering with guest

[sheksis]

Configuration:
Host - Fedora 12
Guest - WinXP
VB - 3.2.BETA3

When I switch to fullscreen mode in the guest, then I suppose the correct behavior should be that all the normal keyboard input should be directed to the guest (except 'Right Ctrl').
In my Window Manager on Fedora 12 (Gnome Metacity), I have plenty of keyboard shortcuts etc. configured for ease. However, these shortcuts should _not_ work when the guest is in full screen mode. Unfortunately they do.

Even Alt+F4 inside a fullscreen guest brings up the "Close VirtualBox" dialog instead of closing the intended app inside the guest. This seems to be a regression. The problem was present in BETA1 and BETA2 as well.

Any insights? workarounds? future fixes?


Thanks.

[sheksis]

And it also does not let me cycle through guest windows using "Alt + Tab" in seamless mode.

[Sasquatch]

No idea what you're talking about, but my WM actions only happen when I hit the Host key first, giving the keyboard input back to the system instead of directing it to the VM. Alt+F4 closes the app I was running or gives the shutdown dialogue of XP (the VM I tested it with). So make sure you don't hit the Host key a second time when switching to Full Screen mode.

[Dest]

Do you by chance have multiple monitors activated?

Sounds like it could be the same thing I was seeing when Multiple Monitors are enabled in the guest.

On mine if I turn off Multple monitors everything is directed to the client as I'd expect

[sheksis]

No idea what you're talking about, but my WM actions only happen when I hit the Host key first, giving the keyboard input back to the system instead of directing it to the VM. Alt+F4 closes the app I was running or gives the shutdown dialogue of XP (the VM I tested it with). So make sure you don't hit the Host key a second time when switching to Full Screen mode.

The problem I am facing is pretty simple to reproduce.

1. Host - Fedora 12
2. Guest - WinXP
3. get the guest WinXP in full screen mode my pressing 'Right Ctrl + F'
4. Inside the guest(which is now full screen) open notepad. Now press 'Alt + F4'. Instead of closing Notepad, I get "Close Virtual Machine" dialog. Notepad doesnt close. This presumably happens because the 'Alt + F4' is used by Metacity instead of guest WinXP.

I hope I'm able to explain my gripe... I;d be willing to provide more information if further investigation is needed.

(p.s. Dest, I have only one monitor enabled in guest.)

[sheksis]

Also, just to test Sasquatch's theory of me hitting the Host key two times on switching to guest, I clicked my mouse multiple times inside the guest. (In my opinion this ensures that the focus is inside guest) . After that I opened notepad and then did 'Alt + F4'.... This problem has something to do with full screen and seamless mode because in the normal case of the guest WinXP running inside the Vbox window, I'm able to close notepad with 'Alt + F4'.

[Sasquatch]

For the record, once the VM has focus and you hit the host key, clicking with the mouse inside the window will not give the keyboard it's focus back. You either have to hit the host key again to grab it, or switch active programs (from VM to a host application and back).
My WM is Compiz-fusion on an XUbuntu 10.04 system. I have Alt+F4 set for close, Alt+F5 for maximize, etc. and none of them are working when the VM is in full screen mode with grabbed keyboard.

[sheksis]

For the record, once the VM has focus and you hit the host key, clicking with the mouse inside the window will not give the keyboard it's focus back. You either have to hit the host key again to grab it, or switch active programs (from VM to a host application and back).
My WM is Compiz-fusion on an XUbuntu 10.04 system. I have Alt+F4 set for close, Alt+F5 for maximize, etc. and none of them are working when the VM is in full screen mode with grabbed keyboard.

Hmm... Ok I got rid of using the host key altogether. I went into the full screen mode with Machine->Full Screen Mode. Also once I was inside the full screen guest with notepad opened, I typed a few letters inside notepad(I hope this at least ensures that keyboard has focus). After this, I again tried to do 'Alt + F4' with the same result.

Is there a way I can proceed to debug this? It earlier used to work on 3.1.6.

[Sasquatch]

Very odd. I know that even though you remove keyboard focus from the VM, if you type it will still send those strokes to the VM. Only special actions that can be used by the Host (like Alt+F4 and Alt+Tab) will not work.
Really check if the keyboard arrow in the bottom right corner is green. If it is green, then it really is strange. Which Host are you using? Your profile states Fedora, still using that?

I'm not sure if the logs will register host key uses, but attach it any way for the devs to take a look at.

[sheksis]

Very odd. I know that even though you remove keyboard focus from the VM, if you type it will still send those strokes to the VM. Only special actions that can be used by the Host (like Alt+F4 and Alt+Tab) will not work.
Really check if the keyboard arrow in the bottom right corner is green. If it is green, then it really is strange. Which Host are you using? Your profile states Fedora, still using that?

I'm not sure if the logs will register host key uses, but attach it any way for the devs to take a look at.

I use Fedora 12 as Host and WinXP as guest. And before doing a switch to full screen mode, I did double check that the keyboard arrow was green.

I've uploaded the log here:
http://pastebin.org/229952

I also noticed something more strange. On doing 'Alt F4', when the "Close Virtual Machine" dialog comes up, I do the following:
1. 'Alt Tab' to focus the "Close Virtual Machine" little window as it pops up de-focused.
2. 'Esc' to make that window go away.
3. After this I tried to type into notepad and am unable to type anything. Left clicking icons on guest desktop opens up their Properties window.... in short I get a drunken guest. Restarting the VM is the only option left.

Maybe all these l are related.

[sheksis]

FWIW, tried reinstalling the Guest Additions. Same results. Logs at http://pastebin.org/229967

[Technologov]

Do you have multi-monitor enabled ?

[sheksis]

Do you have multi-monitor enabled ?

Nope. I checked it in my Virtual Machine settings and the Monitor Count there is 1. I suppose theres no other way to enable it?

The surprising thing is that in windowed mode, all keystrokes are processed as they ought to be.. The moment I switch to full screen or seamless mode, things begin to go awry.

[Sasquatch]

Besides having no multi-monitor setting for the Guests, do you have two monitors?

[sheksis]

Besides having no multi-monitor setting for the Guests, do you have two monitors?

When I work in office I have two monitors - one is the LVDS (of my Laptop) and the other LCD.
At home, I work only on my laptop.
I've checked and the problem is at both these places...

If it helps then heres the xrandr output.

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1440 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1440x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 304mm x 190mm
1440x900 60.2*+ 50.0
1024x768 60.0
800x600 60.3 56.2
640x480 59.9
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)