Emulating an Operating System on a Virtual Machine that is integrated into a familiar environment is very powerful and useful! In many cases, a diferent Operating System can be used to run a particular application that might not work in the normally used Operating System. It could run an old version of Windows or DOS, a new version that you might want to check out like Windows 7, or learn how to use different flavors of Linyx. If the VMware Tools are installed into the Windows or Linux client Operating System, you get additional useful features such as Shared Folders and Cut and Paste of text and files between the host and client Operating Systems.

One great example would be rumnning Vinux in a Virtual Machine. The client Operating System will think it has a whole computer available to its use when it is actually just another window which is sharing resources with the host computer. Vinux is a distribution of Linux specialized and configured for blind and visually impaired users! It starts talking automatically whether booting from a Virtual Machine, a Live CD, from a USB memory stick, or installed on the hard drive. It has several graphical and console screem readers and screen magnifiers configured and enabled. The latest version, Vinux 3.0, is based on the latest Ubuntu 10.0.4 Lucid distribution. Vinux is now listed on DistroWatch.com. Another great option is to create a dual boot system. This allows you to take full advantage of Vinux without losing your current setup of Windows. It does, however, require more commitment, risk and expertise.

VMware Scripts Package

The JAWS Scripts package provides four script configuration sets for the following five VMware applications: (links for the latest free Player and Workstation trials are provided in the Download section below)

1. Player 2.5
2. Player 3.1 (recommended for most users; scripts not essential)
3. Workstation 6.5
4. Workstation 7.1 (recommended for advanced users)
5. Server 1.0.5 (does not support sound card emulation; may be able to utilize braille or external sound card for speech via USB; must follow manual Server installation instructions for these scripts to be enabled and to disable Workstation)

All of the scripts will be installed and configured for all but the Server application. The appropriate set will be loaded automatically when the application is run. VMware will not allow you to have certain combinations of their applications installed at any one time, but having scripts installed for applications that are not currently installed will not harm anything.

Note: The current dialogs for the installer / uninstaller for VMware Player 3.1 and Workstation 7.1 have improved from their previous versions. They are more accessible. It is no longer necessary to press JAWSKey + Z, to turn off the virtual cursor to Tab between buttons. The dialogs are still not read automatically. If you want to read the text in the dialog, you must use the JAWS cursor. For some reason, some of the buttons are unlabeled, but since they have been assigned access keys, it is possible to figure them out once you read the entire dialog with the JAWS cursor.

VMware Player Scripts Description

The new Player 3.1 is almost entirely accessible without any JAWS scripts. There are scripts in this package to provide small conveniences like announcing the menu names, such as "File", when activated.

The Player 2.5 scripts provide easier access to the VMware Player when the emulation window has not currently have control or "grabbed" the mouse and keyboard. Mostly, there are two keystrokes for assisting in selecting a virtual machine to run. The normal "Commands" dialog that appears when starting VMware Player is only accessible using the JAWS cursor. The Control + o keystroke will open a "Browse" dialog to find a Virtual Machine located on your hard drive. The Open Recent keystroke, Control + r, will place you in the multi select list box of recently used Virtual Machines. In My case, it will list the simple names I have given these machines like "Windows 7", "Vinux 1.5.1", "Vinux 2.1", and "Binux 3.0". Pressing Enter on a selection will start the Virtual machine.

VMware Player 2.5 has menus at the top of the emulation window that are available if the mouse and keyboard are released. The two non standard menus are made available with Alt +v to bring up the "VMware Player" menu and Alt + d for the "Device" menu.

VMware Workstation Scripts Description

These scripts provide easier access to the VMware Workstation 6.5 or 7.1 when the emulation window has not currently have control or "grabed" the mouse and keyboard. The VMware Workstation application is more advanced than the Player. Most functions are already accessible by a menu and / or hotkeys. The nonstandard menus are still context menus, but are placed in a somewhat more standard menu bar instead of jammed into the title bar. The scripts provide normal navigation through the menus with the Alt key and the arrow keys. The names of the menus are announced when moveing from one menu to another to avoid confusion.

In the the Sidebar is a tree view that provides an expandable tree of Virtual Machines / Teams that are running (Powered on) and that have been added as a favorite. Pressing Alt + R will move to this tree view. Actions that can be performed on that Virtual Machine can be obtained by pressing the Applications key. These actions include power options and creating / arranging "folders" in this tree structure. As you navigate through the tree view, the scripts search for the power status of that Virtual Machine. To hear the status for the current selection, press Alt + q.

Each Virtual Machine window has a summary dialog. The Dialog has at least two Tabs, a "Device" and "Options" pages. Pressing Alt + D will place the focus on the hardware device properties list. Once in this list, you can press Tab to move through other controls in the summary dialog associated to that Virtual Machine. The information about this Virtual Machine on this summary dialog can be spoken by pressing Alt + S.

There is a full list of hotkeys available for these scripts, within each VMware application, and some helpful hints by pressing Insert + F1.

Thanks Chris Hallsworth for the inspiration, direction, the core of the menu scripts and other feedback.
For questions or feedback about these scripts, please contact me: Donald.Marang@verizon.net
or E-mail Chris: christopherh40@googlemail.com