Open a Windows Application While You Are in Unity View on Intel-based Mac

When a virtual machine is running in Unity view, you do not see the guest operating system's desktop, but you can open an application without it.

When you are working with applications in an operating system, you can use several methods to start an application. In some cases, you click an icon on the desktop or use a start menu or its equivalent. When you use Unity view with a virtual machine, you cannot use those methods because only the active application windows appear on your Mac's desktop.

Prerequisites

With the virtual machine open in single window or full screen view, switch to Unity view. For example, select View > Unity.

When you switch to Unity view, the following events occur.

• The virtual machine interface disappears.
• Applications currently open in the virtual machine appear directly on the Mac desktop.
• VMware Unity () appears in the Mac Dock.

Procedure

• Select the application from the Unity applications menu.
  1. Click VMware Unity () in the Mac Dock.
     A window opens that contains the Unity applications menu.
  2. Click the application icon in the list, or find it by clicking All Programs.
• Keep a virtual machine application in the Mac Dock.
  1. With the application open, switch to Unity view by selecting View > Unity.
     The application appears in the Mac Dock.
  2. Control-click or right-click the application in the Mac Dock and select Options > Keep in Dock.
     The application remains in the Mac Dock, where you can open it even if Fusion is not currently running.
• Show the Windows taskbar to use the start menu.
  1. Select View > Show Taskbar in Unity.
     You might have to move the location of the Mac Dock to see the taskbar.
  2. Click the Start menu and select the application.