Monday, February 6, 2012

Accessing company server with local private domain name without joining the company's domain service

I am not sure that this is a general case but my company's server IP is not open. Only very shot local private domain name is known. If the PC is joined to the domain service, the local private domain name is a convenient method but for whom such as I using MBP in standalone configuration has the only way to ask IT manager.

<example>
IP based access : \\123.123.123.123\team_folder (connectable)
local private domain access : \\File_Server\team_folder (not connectable)

But, well, there is a very simple way to solve this issue.

1) When you open network setting menu, there is IP address, subnet mask, router and DNS server which can be set up automatically by DHCP and also manually by user.
  (the former case it will not be shown but not an issue for this case)
2) the last thing at the bottom is 'domain search', which is probably empty.
3) enter advanced setting below, go DNS tap, there is DNS server list at left side, and Domain Search list
4) click '+' below Domain Search and add your company's domain name
5) click 'approve' and comeback to normal setting menu and click 'apply'

Then, please try access the server with local private domain name. It will work.

BTW, when the server ask login ID and password, type not just ID but also include domain name at the front. see the example below.

<example>
Domain name : ACME.BIZ
ID : Will.Smith
then 'acme.biz\Will.Smith' should be entered.

Hm... I am not sure it is case sensitive or not. please try both.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Use CMD-Space for language or keyboard switching for Virtual Windows on Mac (Parallels and VMWare)

In Korea, right-Alt key is for keyboard switching from English to Korean and vice versa in Korean version of Microsoft Windows. But, when using Mac, it is CMD-Space. So, many people are asking and trying how to use right-Alt key for keyboard switching and even somebody developed new input software such as Baram.

But my question was that Parallels and VMWare says that CMD-Space works for keyboard switching in virtual Windows but in reality it didn't. CMD-Space for Mac and right-Alt for Windows. How confusing...

Finally, I got the point. Right-Alt of Windows and CMD-Space of Mac is not the same terms.

CMD-Space is to switch between virtual keyboards. Right-Alt is to switch of key layout in the same virtual keyboards. Right-Alt is very similar to Caps lock. switching between upper case and lower case.

Usually there is only one keyboard which is KO (Korean) in Korean Windows. But, Windows also has virtual keyboard concept. As you can see below, Windows can have multiple virtual keyboards. In this case there are two keyboards. one is EN (English), and KO (Korean).

*Sorry for Korean character. The title is 'Text Service and Input Language.'

After this setup is made, switching between virtual keyboards is made by short cut of 'left Alt + Shift' in Windows. If you type in the combination, then the left most part of keyboard status bar  will switch between 'EN' and 'KO'. Now, Parallels or VMware convert CMD-Space of Mac OSX to this short-cut, and finally the same CMD-Space can switch keyboards for both Mac and Virtual Windows at the same time.

               : EN (English) Keyboard is selected

 : KO (Korean) Keyboard with English Layout

 : KO (Korean) Keyboard with Korean Layout


One final tip is that KO(Korean) key still reacts to right-Alt for internal switching between English and Korean layout. so, keep it at Korean layout and do not touch right-Alt.

Transfer emails from local Mac Mail App. to Outlook via Exchange or IMAP server

When I got MBP(Mac Book Pro) and decided to use it for work, my hope is to use all native applications including Mail App, even though there is little support from company IT team. I have used for several months although there were some compatibility issues with web mail and MS Outlook users, especially with attachments. But finally, I gave up and decided to go back to MS outlook which runs on Parallels7.

Now, new problem occurred. How can local emails managed by Mac Mail App moved to MS outlook? When I googled solutions, main stream was to export emails to one format, to convert another format and finally to import by MS outlook. It seems there are too many steps, not familiar programs and user engagement.

After some study, I found a very easy, simple, and intuitive way. As the title has already revealed, Exchange or IMAP server can be a relay for this task. But when I tried there are some point which should be taken care of. So I summarize step by step guide as below.


1. do Exchange or IMAP account setting at both Mac Mail and MS Outlook.
    Mail boxes or Folders of the mail server appear at the left side of both mail clients.
2. Set MS Outlook Offline.
    Warning : If it is online, all transferred emails will be duplicated.
3. Copy or Move some emails at local folders of Mac Mail to a folder in the server area.
   There is no progress bar. You can see circling mark only. The progress can be checked by see network traffic at the activity monitor.
    Warning : Check how may emails can be uploaded at once, due to server capacity limitation.If the server becomes full, it will be hard to manage, especially in case of Copy. I cannot find to measure the size of emails which is select. Only it can be automatically counted.
4. Now your emails are back to the mail server and can be downloaded or synchronized to other mail clients.
5. Set Mac Mail App. Offline
6. Set MS Outlook Online.
7. MS Outlook will automatically synchronize and download the renewed emails.
8. The mail server can be emptied by moving the downloaded files to local archive area (another pst files)
   If there is no local pst file is opened, you can open it or create new one.
9. go to step 2 and repeat the process until all local emails at Mac Mail are transferred. 

I prefer to use company exchange server for it is faster than cloud mail servers.
But, if this is not the case, Gmail and iCloud mail can be a good candidates.
Gmail provides around 7 GB and iCloud gives 5 GB.