How do I get the same key-bindings in vmware windows as I have on my MAC

Question

I have a macbook-pro with a swedish keyboard. To to get the curly brace '{' I press alt(=option)+shift+8, but to get the same character when I run vmware/windows I should press alt+7.

Oviously, I would like to use the same keyboard layout in mac and windows, how can I make this happen?

Solution 1

In Fusion, add these keyboard mappings:

1. Shift+Option+8 to Control+Alt+7
2. Shift+Option+9 to Control+Alt+0

Solution 2

You could use something like autohotkey, which will let you assign arbitrary key combinations to arbitrary tasks.

!+8::{

would set alt-shift-8 to {, for example.

Comments

[ragnarius]

Thanks ! (I can't score you because my own score is < 15) Now I am trying to learn autohotkey.... The script !+8::Send {{} works, but only when I have told Windows that my keyboard is "EN", and then I can't use the keys Å Ä Ö. Maybe it is possible to replace !+8 by the scan-code of the Alt- Shift- and 8-keys?

[ragnarius]

Thanks again, apparently the ALT-key on my right hand side generates a CTRL ALT, and the ALT-key on my left hand side is a windows shortcut for opening menues. Anyway, the script ^!+8::Send{{} makes the rhs-ALT-key work the way I like. --Thanks!

[UNK]

Oh, yes. Right alt on most windows keyboards is "Alt Gr", which is effectively control alt, and lets me type things like € or á. AHK has a specific combo for alt-gr in <^>!, which is apparently more portable, so if you plan to use the script on multiple PCs that might be better.

[ragnarius]

I encountered a new problem. I think it is incorrect to use "send" (my error), so I have removed it. The scripts a::| and b::{ produce a pipe and a curly bracket when I press a and b, the script <^>!7::| produces the desired pipe when I press AltGr7, but <^>!+8::{ does not produce anything (and if I "send" the curly bracket it translates to an AltGr7 which gives me the pipe).

[UNK]

@ragnarius: Try taking the + out of the <^>!+8::{, if that doesn't work I'm not sure what's wrong :(

[ragnarius]

Well, it works but not the way I want because that key stroke should give me a square bracket, [.

[UNK]

@ragnarius: Are you sure you didn't put a [ in the script by accident? I've never seen that happen before :\

[ragnarius]

No, what I meant is that I like AltGr 8 to produce [ and Shift ALtGr 8 to produce {, if I remove the + from the script I'll get { when I type AltGr 8.

[UNK]

@ragnarius: ooh, right. I'm not sure why that's happening, sorry :(

[ragnarius]

Now, two years later I get the same problem and I find your answer. Thanks! (I may add the the kayboard mapping is done under VmWareFusion/preferences.../kayboard & mouse)

[Torstein Hønsi]

Thanks! Also, I added these mappings for square brackets: 3. Options+8 to Control+Alt+8 4. Options+9 to Control+Alt+9

[langlauf.io]

It says "Mac shortcut used more than once" when I try to add the setting suggested by @TorsteinHønsi. And I can't unselect the shortcut that is blocking "Option-8". It is in the section "Language-specific key mappings"