Running KM WITHIN a Virtual Machine

Questions & Suggestions
1

I'm not sure if this is possible or not. Certainly I've had some trouble.

I have some macros that I would like to run in the background INSIDE a Parallels virtual machine (VM). My setup is High Sierra for now, and the VM guest environment is running Mojave. The reason I'd like to try doing it in a VM is so that I can continue to use my computer at times while the VM is running in the background. I do realize that this may not be practical, but wanted to try it and see if anyone else has done it.

I've installed KM inside the VM, along with the two applications I'm running the macro on (Citrix Receiver and a Chrome wrapper in Fluid to access a Google Sheets spreadsheet).

KM actually works inside the environment, with the exception of mouse moves and clicks. I can't get the "move or click mouse" action to work. I've got it set to left button double click at coordinates relative to the "main screen's" upper left corner.

When a macro runs, it will switch apps, copy, paste, etc. but I can't get it to move the mouse.

Any thoughts?

2

This might or might not be helpful. I use Parallels to run a virtual Windows PC so that I can use a program that only runs on Windows.
I have not had any problems using Keyboard Maestro macros in my Windows program as Parallels is a Mac application and Keyboard Maestro sees it as such.

I will try this later to see if that is the same in my case.

3

Thank you! But I don't think you understood my setup.

I have KM running INSIDE OF a virtual Mac. Like, KM is running inside a virtual environment. I'm not asking about KM on my Mac affecting things inside the virtual machine.

4

Ah - apologies, I hadn't read your post carefully enough. So, you are running a Mac within a Mac.

Over the years I have accumulated Macs and I've found I can always find a use for an old iMac if it is up and running on my network. In my case I would dedicate one of these Macs to running the background task. This is one of the great things about Mac computers - they continue to be useful way after their time is supposedly up. If you can't get the virtual Mac doing what you want you might consider having an old real Mac doing it (if you have the physical space).

5

Have you had any luck with this? I know it's old. I'm trying to use KM in a VirtualBuddy VM with MacOS Ventura in the VM.

KM seems to work for the most part, except I can't get the mouse to move or click.

Moderator's note – this failed due to user error see Post #7.

6

Is the macro only acting "inside" the VM? If so, try installing KM on the virtual machine, copying your macro to the virtual KM, and running it there (you might have to put it in a Group which is only active when VirtualBuddy is not the active app, so any hotkeys are passed to the VM and trigger the macro there rather than in the host OS).

7

Yes, the VM has its own copy of KM and is running it "within" the VM.

And I've made sure that it's the "inside" copy that's running because my "outside" copy doesn't have any macros using the same hotkey.

But wait! It does work! I messed up my macro. Nevermind! Wow, this is great!