Using Shared Applications

You can use Mac OS X applications to open the files in your Windows guest OS and vice versa.

Note: To share your Mac OS X and Windows applications, you need to disable the Isolate Mac from Windows option in the Security pane of the virtual machine configuration.

Using Mac OS X Applications in Windows Guest OS

The list of Parallels Shared Applications is created during the Parallels Tools installation. The list includes your Mac OS X applications and is available when you choose All Programs > Parallels Shared Applications from the Windows Start menu. You can select any application from the list and start it. To use this functionality, enable the Share Mac OS X applications with Windows option in the Shared Applications pane .

To open a Windows file with the Mac OS X application you prefer, right-click the file and choose the application from the Open With list. To open a Mac OS X file in a virtual machine's application, you can drag this file to this application icon on the Windows desktop.

Using Windows Applications in Mac OS X

You can create a list of Windows applications in Mac OS X and run them even when the virtual machine is stopped. If you start a Windows application when the virtual machine is stopped, the virtual machine will automatically start and switch to Coherence .

To open a file with the application you prefer, irrespective of where the file or the application belongs to, right-click the file and choose the application from the Open With list. To open a Mac OS X file in a virtual machine's application, you can drag this file to this application icon on the Windows desktop.

If you selected the Show Windows Applications folder in Dock option in the Shared Applications pane of Virtual Machine Configuration, the folder with all applications installed in your Windows virtual machine will be displayed in the Dock. You can use this folder to quickly access the needed Windows application.

You can also create aliases for your favorite Windows applications on Mac OS Desktop and add their icons to the Dock.

To create an alias for the application and add its icon to the Dock:

1. Start your Windows virtual machine.
2. Start any of your favorite Windows applications in the virtual machine. When the application is started, its icon appears in the Dock.
3. To create an alias for your favorite Windows application, right-click the application icon in the Dock, and select Keep in Dock from its shortcut menu.

The application alias appears on the Mac OS desktop. It will be available from the Dock even when the virtual machine is stopped. If you double-click this alias when the virtual machine is turned off, the virtual machine and the corresponding application in it will start automatically.

Sharing Windows System Tray Icons With Mac OS X

To extend the integration between Mac OS X and a Windows guest operating system installed in the virtual machine, you can share Windows system tray icons with Mac OS X in the Coherence and Crystal view modes. After sharing, the icons will be displayed in the Mac OS X menu bar in the Coherence and Crystal view modes and you will be able to use the system tray applications by clicking these icons.

To share Windows system tray icons, you need to configure the Crystal & Coherence view modes settings .