How to make the user interface menu appear on guest VMs on VirtualBox 7.1.x without keyboard shorcuts?

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Hello Friends

About VirtualBox 7.1.x I know how to change the View Mode through the keyboard shortcuts as follows:

  • Host + F
  • Host + C

Now consider the following basic and simple scenario:

  • Machine Host (Windows) (a.k.a AAA) uses VirtualBox to run its VM as Guest (Linux) (a.k.a BBB)
  • The same Guest (a.k.a BBB) uses Remmina to access a Remote Machine (a.k.a CCC)

Therefore:

AAA (Host) --- VirtualBox ---> BBB (Guest) --- Remmina ---> CCC

Until here zero problems.

Now

  • The Remote Machine (a.k.a CCC) is a Host too and runs its own VM as Guest too (Linux) (a.k.a DDD)

Therefore:

BBB (Guest) --- Remmina ---> DDD (Host) --- VirtualBox ---> CCC (Guest)

The problem is:

If I am using Remmina and working in peace with the Guest (Linux) (a.k.a DDD) and if I do any keyboard shortcut to change the view mode it always applies to the first Guest (a.k.a BBB) and not to the second Guest (Linux) (a.k.a DDD)

Therefore any keyboard shortcut that is executed is applied in the first Guest and not the second Guest

Question

  • Is possible in someway in VirtualBox 7.1.x do some action where can appear the User Interface menu as a popup? But without Keyboard Shortcut

It with the main purpose to change the View Mode.

Thanks for your understanding

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I kinda hate the defaults in VirtualBox (host key) - I always change the default to : Right-SHIFT+Right-CTRL

That’s mainly 'cause I’m left handed and prefer to keep using the mouse in my left hand…

I really have no idea what you’re trying to do - I find your description and examples a bit hard to follow…

I get stuff like this all the time - e.g. in vSphere (web UI management of VMware ESX servers) - there’s no way to get other TTY (e.g. Ctrl+F1, F2, F3) - as the machine I’m using (Windows server via RDP) grabs those for itself…

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Hello Dan

Thanks for the reply

I kinda hate the defaults in VirtualBox (host key) - I always change the default to : Right-SHIFT+Right-CTRL

+1 because the Host key is by default the Right-CTRL and my laptop does not have that key so I must change to Right-ALT, funny it is my own laptop with this situation

That’s mainly 'cause I’m left handed and prefer to keep using the mouse in my left hand…

I’m left handed too and I use the mouse with the right hand, even more I play guitar and bass with the right hand.

I get stuff like this all the time - e.g. in vSphere (web UI management of VMware ESX servers) - there’s no way to get other TTY (e.g. Ctrl+F1, F2, F3) - as the machine I’m using (Windows server via RDP) grabs those for itself…

Agree, I have the same problem too. Is not possible change the TTY.

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It sounds like the problem is that the host AAA would intercept the Virtualbox host key before it gets to the CCC VM. You should be able to change one or both host keys so they are different from one another. Then you just have to remember which is which.

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Good point, tomorrow to be tested :slight_smile:

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Thank You

The most simple was the solution

  • The primary guest has Right Shift + Right Alt
  • The secondary guest has only Right Shift

Thanks for the guidance!

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