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Knowledge Base

Common Mac OS operations that may be needed with VMware Fusion (1022113)

Last Updated: 1/13/2022Categories: InformationalTotal Views: 32173Language:
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Purpose

This article provides information on and outlines common operations in the Mac Operating System that you may be required to perform when troubleshooting Fusion-related issues. Some of the information outlined in this article may be considered prerequisite knowledge for following directions provided in other articles in the Knowledge Base.

Resolution

VMware recommends reviewing these tutorials by Apple:

Mac 101 is written for new computer users

Switch 101 is written for those who are comfortable with Windows, and who want to know what is different on the Mac.

Both of these guides offer information about the Mac Operating System that can be very useful while you are using Fusion.

Other valuable sources of information are:

Apple's Product Support Centers for:

The software (Leopard (OS X 10.5), Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6), Lion (OS X 10.7) and Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8))

The hardware (the iMac, the MacBook, the MacBook Pro, and the MacBook Air)

The Apple Knowledge Base (VMware recommends restricting your search by the version of your OS or by your hardware type, depending on the query. This link has the filter pre-set to Mac OS X 10.6.)

Note: The preceding links were correct as of August 22, 2011. If you find that a link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Viewing and Editing Files

For general information, see Mac 101: Applications, files, and folders.

Files and folders can be opened by double-clicking them. Double-clicking an application icon starts the application.

Most files open with a default application. (For example, by default, text files – including Rich Text Format files and documents created in Word for the Mac or Word for Windows – open in Text Edit.) This default application can change when new applications are installed. (If you install Word for the Mac, documents created in Word for the Mac or Word for Windows will now open in Word for the Mac.) You can also change this, on a one-time basis, by ctrl-clicking the file and selecting Open With, and then either choosing one of the applications listed or clicking Other.

Navigating Filesystems

The Mac's file browser is called Finder (in contrast to Windows' "Windows Explorer"). You can open your files, folders, and programs through the Finder. (For more information, see Mac OS X: Mac 101 - Finder and the desktop.)

At any time, you can open a new Finder window by clicking the Finder icon (a blue, square, smiley face) in the dock. By default, the new window will open in your "home folder" – this folder is the default location for all documents and files that you create and download. Your home folder contains these folders:

Desktop (This folder is the same as your actual desktop, and so saving files to this folder places them on your desktop.)

Documents

Downloads (files you have downloaded)

Library (Mac settings specifically for your user account),

Movies

Music

Pictures

Public (These are files you have chosen to share with other users. For more information, see Mac OS X Help: Sharing files with others who use your computer.)

Sites (websites you have created).

You can also create other folders in your home folder. However, if you rename or delete these folders, the folders will be restored the next time you log in.

Note: Mac OS depends on these folders, so Apple recommends that you do not change them. The Library folder contains configuration and settings information. Apple strongly recommends that you do not change the files in it or even open this folder unless you know what you are doing.

It is important to note the two conventions in common use for writing file paths (the locations of files):

A file path that begins with a forward slash (/) indicates that the path starts from the root directory, also known as Macintosh HD (or whatever you have renamed your harddrive to).

Example: If you are told that a file is in /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/, you can open it by opening a new Finder window, selecting your hard drive, opening the Library folder, opening the Application Support folder, and then opening the VMware Fusion folder.

A file path that begins with a tilde – that is, ~ – indicates that the path starts from your home directory.

Example: If you are told that a file is in ~ /Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/, you can open it by opening a new Finder window, (selecting your home folder, if the new Finder window did not open there automatically), opening the Library folder, opening the Application Support folder, and then opening the VMware Fusion folder.

These two folders, though having the same names and virtually the same paths, are different. The first folder, in the root directory, has settings information about how Fusion is installed and how Fusion acts for everyone who uses that computer (for example, it contains information about what Fusion does with networking). The second folder, in your home folder, contains information about how you have configured Fusion (for example, it contains the list of virtual machines you can see in your Virtual Machine Library, and any keyboard or mouse profiles you have set up).

Managing Files and Directories

You can see various information about a file or folder (directory) in the Info window. To open this window, right-click the file or folder and select Get Info. The Info window that appears includes this information:

The size

Its creation and (most recent) modification dates

Its name and extension (For more information, see Mac OS X Help: Showing and hiding filename extensions.)

The program that opens the file (You can use the drop-down menu to change that program on a permanent basis. Click the Change All button to use this program to open all files of this kind (generally denoted by the extension).)

The users and groups who have permissions (or who explicitly do not have permissions) to read and/or write to this file or folder. (For more information, see Managing Filesystem Permissions, below.)

You can change which application will be used to open a document. The way in which you do this will depend whether you want to do this for this particular file or all files of the same type. To change the application:

If this is the only time you want to open the file on the virtual machine:

Right+click the file and select Open With > Other.

In the Choose Application dialog, from the Enable dialog at the bottom of the window, select All Applications.

Find the application you want to use.

If you want this document to open with this application every time, check Always Open With.

Click Open.

If want to open all files of this type in the virtual machine, every time:

Right+click the file and select Get Info.

In the Open with section, from the drop-down menu, select Other.

In the Choose Application dialog, from the Enable dialog at the bottom of the window, select All Applications.

Find the application you want to use.

Click Open.

Click Change All.

Click Continue.

Managing Filesystem Permissions

You can set and change permissions for files and folders through the Get Info window. (To open this window, either select the file/folder to change and go to the File menu in Finder, or right-click the file/folder, then select Get Info.) For more information, see Mac OS X Help: Setting permissions.

Managing Users and Permissions

To create and edit user and administrator accounts, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Accounts. For more information, see Mac OS X Help: Setting up a user account.

From this screen, it is possible to set certain programs, documents (for example, virtual machines), or server connections to open automatically when a specific user logs in by clicking the Login Items pane (on the right side).

It is possible to configure the operation of the login screen. For example, you can allow a certain user to login automatically when the Mac starts up by clicking Login Options on the left side, below the list of users.

Accessing the Command Line

Mac OS X uses a utility called Terminal to let you run certain commands that are not easily found from the menus, or to give you more flexibility with those commands. Many of our Knowledge Base articles (as well as Apple's help), tell you to run a command from Terminal / the command line / a command prompt. To open Terminal:

Open Finder. (Click the Finder icon in your dock.)

Navigate to /Applications/Utilities.

Double-click Terminal.

From here, you see a prompt formed by the name of your computer, a colon, the current directory you are working in (your home folder, by default, so this is a ~), your username, and a dollar sign.

Example: VMware Computer:~ kbauthor$

Any commands you type (or paste in) appear after the dollar sign.

Note: You can use your mouse to select, copy, and paste text within the Terminal window. However, you cannot use it to place the cursor. You must use the left and right arrow keys to move the cursor. (Pressing the up arrow key replaces the current command line contents with the last command entered.)

Uploading using SFTP/FTP

For information about uploading support log files to VMware Support, see Uploading diagnostic information to VMware (1008525).

Using a Mac keyboard

Mac keyboards differ in a number of ways from PC keyboards. For details, see Tips on using a Macintosh keyboard (1001675).

For more information, see Apple – Support – Keyboard + Mouse.

Using the Mac trackpad and mouse

You may wish to change the way your trackpad and/or mouse are set up, to suit your workflow. To change these settings, go to Apple menu > System Preferences and select either Trackpad or Mouse. (These icons are not visible if your Mac does not have a trackpad installed or a mouse connected, respectively.)

There are a few specific settings you may wish to test / set:

Trackpad

Tracking and scrolling speed

Enabling Tap to Click

Setting a Secondary Click zone (to augment ctrl+click, and right-click if you have enabled it for a mouse)

Allowing a two-fingered touch to zoom the screen

Allowing a two-fingered touch to act as a Secondary Tap / Click

Mouse

Tracking and scrolling speed

Zoom settings, both the modifier key and how it works (by clicking Options)

Whether the two halves of the mouse are both primary clicks, or secondary clicks, or other (if using a Mighty mouse)

Enabling the scroll ball to trigger something when pressed (if using a Mighty mouse)

Enabling the side buttons to trigger something when pressed (if using a Mighty mouse)

For more information, see Apple – Support – Keyboard + Mouse.

Seeing information about your Mac

Use the Mac's System Profiler (Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info) to see information about your Mac's hardware, software, and network adapters. These are a few areas of interest in this screen:

System Profiler Entry

Details

Hardware

An overview of your hardware, including:

Your model name and number

The name, number, and speed of your processors and cores

The amount of memory installed

Your Mac's serial number

ATA

Information about any ATA drives on your system (likely your Super Drive / optical drive / CD/DVD drive).

Audio (Built In)

A list of all audio devices installed in your Mac.

Disc Burning

Information about any drives on your Mac that can burn discs, and what kind of discs they can burn.

FireWire

Information about your Mac's support for FireWire, and information about any FireWire drives connected to your Mac.

Graphics/Displays

Information about the graphics card installed in your Mac, your main display, and any external displays connected.

Memory

Information about your RAM and where it is installed.

Printers

Information about printers that have are configured on your Mac, whether they are on/connected or not.

Serial-ATA

Information about any Serial-ATA (SATA) drives on your system (likely your hard drive), and any volumes on those drives.

USB

Information about the USB devices installed in your Mac, about any USB devices connected to your Mac, and any file volumes on any USB storage devices connected to your Mac.

Software

Information about your current version of Mac OS X, the name of your hard drive, your computer name, and whether you are running in 64-bit mode (10.6 only).

Applications

The names, versions, and install/update dates of all applications, utilities, and services running on your computer. Select any application (particularly anything unfamiliar) to see where it is installed.

Logs

Easy access to many of your Mac's logs, if you need to review them. (Fusion logs are not included!)

Related Information

If you require additional information about Mac OS, contact Apple or visit http://support.apple.com.

For more information regarding other Operating Systems, see Common Linux-based Operating System operations (1022050).

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