How do I permanently stop mouse integration

[dennygoot]

How do I permanently stop mouse integration on one guest? I don't want to terminate it on all of them.

I run some unique Linux distro's that can't install guest additions, and so the mouse integration is a hindrance instead of a help.

[socratis]

What happens if you go to the menu "Input" » "Mouse Integration" and uncheck that?

[dennygoot]

the next time i restart that guuest machine, it's checked again and I have to uncheck it again and again and again.

[socratis]

Hmm... I didn't realize that this is an option that doesn't stick. I don't know of a permanent way to do that. I vaguely remember this was asked a long time ago, but I don't think that it can be done, at least not in a permanent, per VM way...

[dennygoot]

I know it can be done. The truth be known, rather easily. I think what you meant was that currently the option doesn't exist. If that's what you meant, you may be right. I don't know how this is programmed, but I know a config file and a simple set of instructions to toggle this the way it says to in the config file, and just like that the option exists.

[socratis]

I know it can be done.

Don't be so sure about it: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62792#p295351
Please take a note of michael's "color" and "badge" below his nick, on the right side...

[dennygoot]

It's funny you linked this particular conversation, because Michael himself here makes it clear that not only can it be done, but at one time it had already been implemented.

"Not sure what version that this started on but on Virtual Box 5 you can go to settings then use interface and under input uncheck mouse integration and that will be the Default setting when you start you Host."

So (quite some time ago) this was already an option. For some reason it no longer is. (I think).

I remember being able to control it in a setting somewhere, some time ago, also. When I started this conversation, it was with the expectation that someone would just point out that I had not seen the simple tick box somewhere, and they would instantly point out to me just where this option is.

That is still my hope. -Denny

[mpack]

It's funny you linked this particular conversation, because Michael himself here makes it clear that not only can it be done, but at one time it had already been implemented.

I don't see that inference. Michael says that there is no configurable feature, and AFAICS does not imply that there ever has been. The only feature which exists is the one you already know, which sends an event into the running guest driver to tell to stop working for now. Stop working, not disable itself.

So in answer to your first question: you can't. In answer to the question of when this might be implemented: when the devs feel that it has become a priority item.

Alternatively, you can implement this feature yourself and donate the code to the project.

[dennygoot]

mpack, did you not look into the post that was quoted above? Again, it already was implemented at one time. I'm not even the one that posted the quote.

If you are going to chime in, please be completely versed in what is going on.
Otherwise what you say is useless, and you come across as someone who likes to chime in on things in an authoritative voice, but who truly hasn't a grasp of the material. aka "He's talking out of his *** (word for butt.)"

-Denny

[Perryg]

@dennygoot,

Not to be too confrontational, but would you post the part that you saw where it states the ability to permanently disable the mouse integration? I read the entire topic and all I could come up with is you would remove the mouse driver and not use the usb tablet feature. This just cripples the guest and nothing that is related to VirtualBox.

[socratis]

Again, it already was implemented at one time. I'm not even the one that posted the quote.

That "assertion" (that it was working) was from user "Mustang1993" in his one and only single post in the forums, ever. I was originally pointing you to the comment by "michael" (I stated so), a core VirtualBox developer and a forums admin. You didn't read that part, you read/chose to read/quote the wrong message, the one that suited your needs. And as mpack pointed out, michael *never* said that this was *ever* implemented.

Think of it as the "Input" » "Keyboard" » "Send Alt-Ctrl-Del". You can't have that as a preference, do you understand that part, that it's not doable?

If you are going to chime in, please be completely versed in what is going on.

I'm afraid that both me and mpack are a little bit more versed in what's going on in the VirtualBox universe. Michael, even more. And you chose to quote a one-time poster? Well done!

Some would talk about clueless comments/users. Not me. To me no users are clueless, until they've managed themselves to become so. Well to tell you the truth... some more, some less. You sir, are in the right direction towards that achievement...

[dennygoot]

You are correct it wasn't michael, it was mustang1993.

"Re: Mouse Integration Disabled Permanently
Postby Mustang1993 » Tue May 03, 2016 6:43 am

I'm new to this forum so not sure if this has been answered to everyone's satisfaction.

Not sure what version that this started on but on Virtual Box 5 you can go to settings then use interface and under input uncheck mouse integration and that will be the Default setting when you start you Host."

At this point I am assuming this currently isn't an option.

Again, I know for a fact that it was an option in the past.

I also know that this option is very much "doable".

By this I mean that those that maintain vbox for oracle could implement this again.

I am assuming though that no one on the forum has the power to either make suggestions or directly impact vbox in the future.

So when I said it was doable, perhaps what i meant and what others thought i meant were two different meanings.

I never meant to offend, and If i did, I am sorry.

I am an old programmer, and so I know that this option is 100% a possibility. That's all I meant by the statement.

A couple of things to keep in mind. 1) i can do it already once per session. It is already being accomplished. 2) so then all that needs to be done to solve this is simply have a way to save the option that already exists as "off". Something a small bit of programming and a text file can accomplish.

This is not impossible, as a matter of fact, the option already exists and works. I simply want it to be a persistent and permanently set option. So again, yes, this IS doable. 1000% doable. In fact, it is done already, just not permanently.
Why anyone would say it can't be done when I can do it with a mouse click every time, is simply unfathomable. I simply want this to happen every time without having to go into the menu and mouse click.

Again, for clarity, 1) most certainly doable, and currently implemented 2) just need this to be a permanent solution, and not one that I have to tick off every time i run the guest os.
-Denny

[Perryg]

Yes it is doable and yes it is not possible on VirtualBox the way it stands. So the solution would be to modify the source code and compile a special release you can use and since it is GPLed you would need to provide the code to the DEVs. Here is a link to the latest source code http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualb ... .2.tar.bz2

Note: the system is under maintenance at the moment so it may not be available for a while.

[dennygoot]

I can see i'm not going to get anywhere, so I leave this here. To perryg, no there is no special programming to be done here. This is not a complicated issue, but a super simple one. Again, this all already is implemented, and the only thing I was hoping could be added was persistence, which quite literally would need nothing more than to add a notation to a text file that simply said so, and to have vbox check it once launched.

But I refuse to beat a dead horse any further.

May you all have a good weekend.
-Denny

[socratis]

Again, I know for a fact that it was an option in the past.

Please state at which exact version this option was a sticky one. Precisely the version if you can, but even 4.3.x or 3.2.x would be a good start... But I don't usually trust 3rd party memories (I don't even trust mine, I have to verify something before I claim it as working or not). That's why I have a collection of VirtualBox versions to test extraordinary claims. They usually require extraordinary evidence...

I also know that this option is very much "doable".

I also know believe/suspect/would like it to be that this option is very much "doable".

There... I fixed it for you...

I am assuming though that no one on the forum has the power to either make suggestions or directly impact vbox in the future.

Wrong assumption. If on the right-side, under the poster's name it says "Oracle corporation", then that's a VirtualBox developer. Just as "michael" is, in the post that I directed you to previously.

so then all that needs to be done to solve this is simply have a way to save the option that already exists as "off". Something a small bit of programming and a text file can accomplish.

See below. But be prepared to hunt through kernel driver code, for all the supporting OSes that have GAs available. From Win, to X11, to Solaris, to OS/2, to Haiku, to <name_it>... And mind you, we're talking about Ring-0 code...

I simply want it to be a persistent and permanently set option.

I think again you're missing the point; it's not a "simple" option. It's a kernel driver issue. That's as far from simple, as possible (computer-wise)...

2) just need this to be a permanent solution, and not one that I have to tick off every time i run the guest os.

Do not install or use the mouse driver that gets installed with the GAs. See below...


A few observations, facts:

• The "Mouse Integration" makes only sense in guests that have the Guest Additions (GAs) installed. It is part of the kernel driver of the guest. It's not a top-level feature. That's why it's part of the GAs, that's why it won't work if the GAs are not available for a specific guest. So, you can't test/try this feature with a DOS, or an OSX guest. I tried with two VMs; a WinXP and a Win2K one. I could try with something other if you want, but I highly doubt that the results will be different.
• A good start, as Perryg mentioned, is the source code. I went ahead and downloaded several older versions. Nowhere is there an option for a token in the preferences. Maybe I missed it, but I've already spent way far more time on this than I ever imagined. So, if you really care about it, I suggest you start hitting the sources tree. You're a programmer, you should be able to figure out quickly what's going on. I mean, I'm a ChemEng and I figured out that it's not an easy-peasy thing to do, just by searching for "mouse integration". Way too many hits, way too convoluted of an option. And I certainly don't want to start messing with kernel drivers!!!
• I downgraded to several lower VirtualBox version, the lowest working one was 3.0.12, released on 2009-11-10 (more than 8 years ago!!!). The "Mouse Integration" option does not work as a switchable preference, it always comes up as enabled. There is no configuration token stored. If you remember that being the case (from an even older version of VirtualBox), I tried that as well; I was able downgrade to 2.2.4, but my WinXP and Win2K VMs wouldn't even boot. Maybe my computer is too new for that an archaic VirtualBox version.
• There are things that are in the menus that you can't do from a preference. "Mouse Integration" is one of them. You will need to modify your specific Linux VM to disable the VirtualBox mouse driver. That should be the easiest way for you to do this. Or ever easier, do not install the GAs in your VM. Problem solved...

I never meant to offend, and If i did, I am sorry.

Offend? Others, maybe. Me? No. Increase my blood pressure to non-acceptable values? Absolutely...

Final thoughts
Please do your homework before starting digging into your brain's memory cells, and have me going on a wild goose hunt to see whether mine are wasted. It's best if you come up with a solid case (versions, numbers, screenshots), compared to "I know for a fact that it used to work". Well, to put it bluntly, you don't.