Support pasting clipboard from host

[fkorotkov]

It seems it's not supported at the moment with the current API according to this comment and based on my research at the time. But let's create a tracking issue.

[fkorotkov]

Yeah, I've poked around the code and didn't find a way to support it. Seems there is no way to get handle on a keyboard to send fake strokes.

A workaround for people might be enabling Screen Sharing and using VNC via running a VM with --no-graphics option and then getting it's IP via tart ip <name> command to use with Screen Sharing.

[edigaryev]

Yeah, I've poked around the code and didn't find a way to support it. Seems there is no way to get handle on a keyboard to send fake strokes.

So, sending CGEvent's is not an option either?

Also, maybe can we manually call methods like keyDown() on an NSResponder?

[fkorotkov]

I haven't found a public API to interact with a keyboard. As far as I understood VZVirtualMachineView will support it at some point:

If the VM configuration includes a keyboard and a pointing device, the view forwards keyboard and mouse events to the VM through those devices.

[fkorotkov]

It seems it will be possible. At least according to a new Linux example (see "Enable copy-and-paste support between the host and the guest" section):

private func createSpiceAgentConsoleDeviceConfiguration() -> VZVirtioConsoleDeviceConfiguration {
    let consoleDevice = VZVirtioConsoleDeviceConfiguration()

    let spiceAgentPort = VZVirtioConsolePortConfiguration()
    spiceAgentPort.name = VZSpiceAgentPortAttachment.spiceAgentPortName
    spiceAgentPort.attachment = VZSpiceAgentPortAttachment()
    consoleDevice.ports[0] = spiceAgentPort

    return consoleDevice
}

Need to verify that it will work in macOS though.

[fkorotkov]

I've tried the above example and a bit different one:

let spiceAgentPortAttachment = VZSpiceAgentPortAttachment()
spiceAgentPortAttachment.sharesClipboard = true
let serialPortConfiguration = VZVirtioConsoleDeviceSerialPortConfiguration()
serialPortConfiguration.attachment = spiceAgentPortAttachment
configuration.serialPorts = [serialPortConfiguration]

with the latest Ventura and it seems not be working. It might be indicating that it only works for Linux. Will need to investigate more.