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Alt+Tab and Windows+Tab to local PC?

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Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Aug 18, 2015 9:58:05 am EDT

Hello John,

I suggest you stick with F12 since you use it for other things. Looks like based on default settings
Shift+F12
Shift+Ctrl+F12
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+F12
Shift+Alt+F12
are still available. And it would be nice to be settable in HotKeys like the others.

Note that, really, it does not have to be, technically, "cycle between local windows", but more like "shift focus to local window manager". Once that happens, Alt+Tab and Shift+Alt+Tab will be serviced by local window manager. As will Window+Tab and Shift+Window+Tab. This would require say Shift+F12, then let go of keys, then Alt+Tab. So it takes one separate key combo extra to start cycling. For example, what I do now, when focus is on the remote window, is click the task bar of the local windows, then Alt+Tab works locally.

This makes sense. We'll think about it on the next meeting. It is very likely that we will rework this feature anyway.

One more detail. When you do Alt+F12 (or click the icon) to go into view only, all the keystrokes STILL go to the remote window manager. Instead of that, in view only, it would be nice if
Alt + Tab
Shift + Alt + Tab
Windows + Tab
Shift + Windows + Tab
went to the local windows manager, much like they do for any other window of any other program that's in focus.

Noted. Thanks!

Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Aug 20, 2015 11:48:22 am EDT

John,

Did you try to use Q as the modifier? It should work.

john kumpf, User (Posts: 81)

Aug 20, 2015 12:50:30 pm EDT

Support level: Free or trial

Conrad Sallian wrote:

Did you try to use Q as the modifier? It should work.

I dont know what this means. We are talking about an alternative to Alt + Shift + Tab, right?
Alt + Tab still goes to remote. So does this mean Alt + Q + Tab.
Because if I hit Alt + Q it goes to my remote program, and when I then hit Tab, it's a separate key.
If I hit Q + Tab, that's two keystrokes, Q, then Tab.
If I hit Alt + Tab, it cycles thru remote windows, if i keep them pressed and then hit Q, it goes as Alt + Q to my remote application.

I dont understand "Q as a modifier" at all. If I hit the Alt, Shift or Ctrl keys, nothing happens until I hit another key because they are modifiers. If I hit Q, something does happen. It doesnt wait around for another key, cuz it's not a modifier.

Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Aug 20, 2015 2:29:49 pm EDT

I dont know what this means. We are talking about an alternative to Alt + Shift + Tab, right?

When in full control mode:

Hitting Alt + Tab or Shift + Alt + Tab cycles through the remote windows.

If you hit and hold Q, then do Alt+Tab - you cycle through the local windows.

I dont understand "Q as a modifier" at all.

There problem is that the number of modifiers is limited and they are used by the system. Windows doesn't have a special notion for "remote" and "local" windows, hence we need to invite ways to split the Alt + Tab behavior for these two categories.

P.S. We'll create a special section in our documentation where we'll list all available keyboard shortcuts.

john kumpf, User (Posts: 81)

Aug 22, 2015 2:56:06 pm EDT

Support level: Free or trial

It works!

Well, almost. If you have, say, notepad open and in focus on the remote system, when you hit Q, a Q will be typed into the document. But holding Q down and continuing to hit Alt + Tab WILL then proceed to cycle the local windows. Cool.

But having the Q be typed remotely is not ideal. So you first have to make sure the program that's in focus remotely does not respond to Q. So it's still a two step process. So, again, i think some special key to switch focus back to local windows (which is also an extra step) is cleaner, and an acceptable lack of convenience.

Windows doesn't have a special notion for "remote" and "local" windows, hence we need to invite ways to split the Alt + Tab behavior for these two categories.

This a bit beyond me, but, if I speculate, most programs do not process, themselves, Alt + Tab. Rather Windows catches that and cycles thru windows. So I am guessing that RUT has some way of intercepting that, and directing it to remote windows instead. So what I suspect would work is that, say, Shift + F12 would turn off that feature of RUT capturing Alt + Tab, and then let Windows capture it and do its regular cycle. And then we'd need a way of setting it back so Alt + Tab goes remote again. In my opinion, when the local window (which contains all the remote windows) comes back into focus, Alt + Tab should automatically shift back to remote. Another way of saying this is that Shift + F12 only temporarily lets the local windows see Alt + Tab. This is awfully technical for a speculation ;)

That documentation you mention sounds very useful!

Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Aug 24, 2015 9:11:22 am EDT

Hi John,

But having the Q be typed remotely is not ideal. So you first have to make sure the program that's in focus remotely does not respond to Q. So it's still a two step process. So, again, i think some special key to switch focus back to local windows (which is also an extra step) is cleaner, and an acceptable lack of convenience.

Yes, but the whole point is that the number of special keys is limited :) Besides, using a "mode-based" switch is cumbersome for users. They need to remember each time in what mode they are in (i.e. in "local swithing" or "remote switching" mode). That's why we use a modifier instead that works temporarily, i.e. when pressed.

That documentation you mention sounds very useful!

And we are going to expand it even more :) Namely, add more tutorial videos.

john kumpf, User (Posts: 81)

Aug 27, 2015 2:27:25 pm EDT

Support level: Free or trial

That's why we use a modifier instead that works temporarily, i.e. when pressed.

Then I suggest the best answer is Shift + F12 (or whatever) works temporarily upon the next Alt + Tab or Shift + Alt + Tab. Just not simultaneous. One then the other. Shift + F12 then let go, then, Alt + Tab. If you click or hit some other key or move the mouse or return the window to focus, the effect of Shift + F12 goes away. Or maybe its effect just times out.

Or implement both methods.

Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Aug 27, 2015 5:04:12 pm EDT

john kumpf wrote:
That's why we use a modifier instead that works temporarily, i.e. when pressed.
Then I suggest the best answer is Shift + F12 (or whatever) works temporarily upon the next Alt + Tab or Shift + Alt + Tab. Just not simultaneous. One then the other. Shift + F12 then let go, then, Alt + Tab. If you click or hit some other key or move the mouse or return the window to focus, the effect of Shift + F12 goes away. Or maybe its effect just times out.

Or implement both methods.

Thanks for the suggestion. We'll take a look at it.

john kumpf, User (Posts: 81)

Sep 03, 2015 12:40:28 pm EDT

Support level: Free or trial

Update: I found, on Windows 7 both remote and local, hitting Q followed very quicky by Alt does NOT type Q into the remote window, even, say notepad. But I have to hit Alt very quickly after Q. And then it does cycle thru local windows as you have suggested. Thanks.

Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 2975)

Sep 03, 2015 2:52:02 pm EDT

Hello John,

Yes, it takes some time getting used to. :)

P.S. We reverse-updated our initial news/blog post about this key combination so as not to mislead the users who browse the website and read relative old news. It used to say "Shift+Alt+Tab" at first.

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