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Similar to this question for VirtualBox:

How do you auto-type the contents of the clipboard from the host into a guest Virtual Box instance?

Is there any way to type the contents of the clipboard to a VMware ESXi guest - either via "VMRC" or the Web console?

I am not wanting to do clipboard sharing, just want to be able to type specific things (e.g. URLs and passwords) into guest VMs (particularly when installing an OS)

Is there any way to do this?

The VirtualBox thread recommended AutoHotKey, which I have seen recommended elsewhere, but I can't get the script to take effect in a VMRC window.

The VMware version is 6.7, which is probably not easy to change. I am currently trying to use a Windows machine to control the VM (hence the reference to AutoHotKey), but could switch to a Linux control environment if that would allow me to do this.

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  • An AutoHotkey script should run with a tray icon. As writer states in the post you linked to, the VM can't be active/capturing keystrokes in order to use the AutoHotkey shortcut key (i.e., hotkey trigger)--in VirtualBox you have to use Right Control to make sure the VM doesn't capture the hotkey trigger. Are you achieving this effect somehow for your testing with VMware?
    – JJohnston2
    May 26, 2018 at 20:47
  • It appears that the VMware VMRC console has a "chicken and egg" problem - either it is grabbing the keystrokes, or it is ignoring keyboard input. So in one mode the paste doesn't work because AutoHotkey doesn't see the shortcut, and in the other mode the typing doesn't go to the VM. However, their web based console, which is less good in almost every other way, does appear to allow the hotkeys to go to AutoHotkey, and the keyboard input that generates to go to the VM. So I do have a solution that works for me, even if I have to switch between two different console apps.
    – Michael Firth
    Jun 8, 2018 at 11:55
  • VMware Workstation has an Edit > Paste menu item that will paste the clipboard contents as injected keystrokes if clipboards sharing isn't available. I don't remember offhand if VMRC has an equivalent menu item.
    – jamesdlin
    Jun 13, 2018 at 16:25
  • Sadly VMRC doesn't have the Paste option that you found in VMware Workstation
    – Michael Firth
    Jun 21, 2018 at 10:26

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