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.

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