problem with control-click mapping in ubuntu guest

[kestryth]

I am running OSX sierra on a macbook pro with ubuntu 14.04 as a guest. In my guest system, control-click has been mapped as both a secondary click (right click) and as the way to choose non-sequential items from a list. This means I never know which function I'll get when I control-click in my ubuntu guest, which is frustrating. My mac host has control-click mapped as a secondary-click and command-click mapped as the way to choose non-sequential items. Several of my co-workers have the same set-up, same host/guest, etc, and control-click is only mapped to non-sequential list items. I would like mine to be this way too!
My VB host key is set to alt-r and I've tried installing a fresh copy of my guest machine with no luck. I've tried reinstalling Virtual Box.
Any help is appreciated.

[erdeslawe]

Don't think this is anything to do with VirtualBox. You change Ubuntu Keyboard mapping using Ubuntu's own settings.

[kestryth]

I don't think it is an Ubuntu problem as I used the same disk image and laptop successfully with VM ware fusion. The disk image is one distributed to lots of people I work with as a .vmdk file with pre-installed software. I downloaded a fresh one (rather than convert my fusion formatted machine for Virtual Box) to do the Virtual Box installation. The mapping problem only showed up when I switched to Virtual Box. And yes, I could edit the key mapping in Ubuntu, but I would just as soon not have to do that for every new Ubuntu machine I install. I keep thinking there is some hidden setting I am missing somewhere.

[socratis]

My mac host has control-click mapped as a secondary-click and command-click mapped as the way to choose non-sequential items.

That would be the default action on any OSX installation.

In my guest system, control-click has been mapped as both a secondary click (right click) and as the way to choose non-sequential items from a list.

That would be the default action on any non-OSX installation.

I would like mine to be this way too!

You'd have to teach Ubuntu what the Command key is, because it thinks (by default) that it is the Super/Windows key. There are some mapping keyboard software that I tried, for Windows guests, it wasn't worth it. I decided to change my mindset when I'm working with a non-OSX guest.

I used the same disk image and laptop successfully with VM ware fusion.

Maybe Fusion has an internal mapping mechanism. Since it's an OSX-only application they could do it (I guess). There is nothing similar for VirtualBox (AFAIK).

[kestryth]

Apparently, this is a common issue with Virtual Box 5.1.x and is posted as a reopened defect:

https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/1766

My machine behaves exactly the same as the ones in the ticket; if I turn off mouse integration, I can select non-sequential list items.

So I guess I get to wait until it gets fixed again.

[socratis]

Apparently, this is a common issue with Virtual Box 5.1.x and is posted as a reopened defect

No, it is not. At least not the way that you imply. For starters, it was never reopened in 5.1.x. Brief history of the ticket for reference, and please note the dates:

• 2008-06-23, VBox 1.6.2 : Ticket opened. No comments.
• 2013-11-22, VBox 4.3.2 : Ticket closed (that was the 2nd comment on the ticket after 5 1/2 years).
• 2015-07-09, VBox 4.3.28 : Ticket re-opened. No response from the user that re-opened it.
• 2016-08-09, VBox 5.1.2 : First reports of early 5.1.x regressions start coming in (by 'mooflu'), due to changes in the Qt version. Most of them have been fixed. See the efforts of 'mooflu' for debugging the issue.

After that, some sporadic reports here and there, but they stopped in 5.1.4. Now, you come in with 5.1.8 (which is old BTW) and you re-open the issue.

I downgraded my installation to 5.1.8. I ever renamed my '~/Library/VirtualBox/' folder to start as fresh as possible. I added my Ubuntu guest only and I tried it. Nothing. Ctrl-click works as expected. I took it from 5.0.36 to 5.1.18. Nothing.

So, I'll have to ask you to provide some data to see what's going on. Start with '~/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml'. Then right-click on your VM in the VBoxManager and select "Show in Finder". ZIP that .vbox file along with the previous VirtualBox.xml file and attach them to your response.

So I guess I get to wait until it gets fixed again.

If it isn't broken, it's not going to be "fixed", I guarantee you that.

[kestryth]

I appreciate all your responses, and how quickly you respond:
However, just to clear: I was running VB 5.1.18 and I had the latest version of 5.1.x when I had this error.

When I rolled back to 5.0.36, I had no issues with the same Ubuntu disk image. Control-click is only mapped to non-sequential click.

I had a colleague tell me today that they had the same issue with MacOSX host and a Windows VM with 5.1.x, and that there was a thread on a forum already chasing that error.

I'll try to post the files you requested tomorrow.

[socratis]

• You never mentioned that you tested 5.1.18 and had the same problem.
• You never mentioned that you tested 5.0.36 and had no problem.
• Please download a LiveCD, let's assume Ubuntu 14.04 32-bit desktop, and try that with VirtualBox 5.1.18 and the default Ubuntu template, no changes whatsoever. I will do the same.
• Just run it live, do not install it. Open the File Manager and try to Ctrl-click on some files/folders. Does it still fail?

[kestryth]

Hello, thanks for your suggestion.
I tried everything you suggested.

Yes, 5.1.18 still fails with the Ubuntu 32 image you supplied. Control-click is still double-mapped to both right-click and non-sequential click.

[socratis]

1. I'd still want to see the "~/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml" and the "~/VirtualBox VMs/<YourUbuntuVM>.vbox" files.
2. I would like to describe to me your Mouse/Trackpad settings, your Keyboard layout/settings and your Accessibility settings.
3. I would finally like to know your exact Mac model and your exact OSX version.

[kestryth]

1. I don't have this file:

~/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml

or even a VirtualBox folder in my ~/Library. I checked every folder named Library I could find, just in case you meant ~/System/Library instead of the upper level one, or something.

I can see from Chapter 10 of the Virtual Box manual online l that I should have this file to manage my global settings, but I don't. I searched the whole system for VirtualBox.xml and couldn't find it; I also expanded the contents of the app and checked for it there (just in case, right?). For context: I can view all my hidden files and folders.

Is it possible that the file could be named something else?

I do have the .vbox file; and I've attached it.


2. I use the built-in laptop trackpad with all the multi-finger gestures enabled and at default settings, except for secondary click, which i have set to "click in the lower right hand corner."
Keyboard is the built-in MacBook pro keyboard, with default settings, U.S. English.

3. I am running OSX Sierra 10.12.4 on a MacBook Pro, 15inch, retina mid 2014. 2.5Ghz Intel Core i7 Memory 16 GB

[socratis]

~/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml

The "~" refers to the user's home directory, so for example in your case doing the following would take you to your home directory:

• $ cd ~/Library
  $ pwd
  /Users/socratis/Library
  $ ls -al VirtualBox/VirtualBox.*
  -rw-------  1 socratis  wheel  11998  6 Απρ 14:02 VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
  -rw-------  1 socratis  wheel  11873  6 Απρ 14:01 VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml-prev

[kestryth]

Thanks, I can see it now. Right now I am running an analysis on my Windows VM that takes a few hours with using the 5.0.36 release so I can't shut it down, but here is the file that goes with that version of VB. I'll swap out to 5.1.18 as soon as it is done. Unless you think the settings files will match, regardless of version?

[socratis]

Nope, nothing, blank, empty...

That leaves only two factors to consider. The OSX version/installation and your profile. So, let's start with the easy ones...

Every OSX comes with a Guest account, which gets its profile reset upon login. Which is perfect for cases like that. Enable the Guest account (if you haven't already done so) and login as that. Don't customize the account or VirtualBox at all. Simply launch VirtualBox and repeat the procedure with the 14.04 Ubuntu ISO. See what happens. Make sure you've already moved/copied the Ubuntu CD in a common place, like "/Users/Shared/something..." so you can access it from the Guest account.

On the OSX front, please post the output of the following command from the Terminal:

• kextstat | grep -v com.apple

And can you please tell me if you've installed any non-trivial application? And by non-trivial I mean applications NOT like Firefox, TextWrangler, LibreOffice, Audacity, Gimp, etc, but applications that might have any deeper interaction with the hardware/software, like peripherals, antivirus, sniffers, analyzers, etc.

[kestryth]

1. Running 5.1.18 with the Guest account works. Control-click only does non-sequential mapping, and command-click does right-click.

2. 5.1.18 Still doesn't work in my main user account, control-click is double-mapped. vb version 5.0.36 still works correctly.

3. terminal output

Index Refs Address            Size       Wired      Name (Version) UUID <Linked Against>
  142    3 0xffffff7f8335b000 0x61000    0x61000    org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv (5.1.18) 9A14468B-0B16-3E51-B0D6-12EFA245CB19 <7 5 4 3 1>
  144    0 0xffffff7f833bc000 0x8000     0x8000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB (5.1.18) 1017E84D-BE4D-3718-86FC-1AF127974058 <143 142 41 7 5 4 3 1>
  145    0 0xffffff7f833c4000 0x5000     0x5000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt (5.1.18) 126732E2-A69F-3BB2-A666-DA94E875A105 <142 7 5 4 3 1>
  146    0 0xffffff7f833c9000 0x6000     0x6000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp (5.1.18) B7C44747-CB0A-3D1F-8943-A3DD0866E53F <142 5 4 1>

4. I have a wacom tablet installed, it appeared in the Guest settings too. I run the Mac firewall and FireVault. I have symantec end-point for Mac. I think that's about it.
Thanks again for your help.