Parallels App Menu

[flakshack]

This workflow is for anyone running Parallels.  I have to run many Windows programs for my day job, so I have a Parallels VM running most of the time on my MacBook.  I created this workflow to make it easier to launch these Windows apps from Alfred.

 

When you press the "p" hotkey, alfred will display a list of programs taken from your Parallels VM's Start Menu:

 

 

 

More Details

 

If you're familiar with Parallels, you probably know that it creates a .app for each Windows program in:

(home)/Applications (Parallels)

 

Alfred does a pretty good job of picking these apps up and letting you launch them.  Unfortunately, the names of the .app files are often poorly chosen.  For example, the VMware vSphere Client is named "VpxClient.app"  It is also not possible to launch MMC based apps this way (they all are launched via "Microsoft Management Console.app").

 

Fortunately there's a solution.  Parallels also stores a copy of your Windows Start Menu in:

 

(home)/Library/Parallels/Applications Menus

 

Every file in this folder is actually an XML file and is named exactly as the program is named in your Start Menu.  If you rename a shortcut in your Windows Start Menu, a few minutes later, the XML file in this directory will be updated.  These XML files are associated with the "Parallels Link" program that is part of the main Parallels Desktop package.

 

Initially I created the workflow using a simple "File Filter" input, but this didn't bring over the icons for the apps.  So this workflow was created to scan the contents of (home)/Library/Parallels/Applications Menus and present the contents with icons as shown in the picture above.

 

Notes:

• To remove the (home)/Applications (Parallels) apps from Alfred, you'll need to exclude that directory from Spotlight.  Just open Spotlight preferences, change to the Privacy tab and drag that folder into the box.
• You may wish to change the hotkey to "Argument Required."  Since I'm in Windows so often, I wanted the p hotkey to instantly show Parallels apps.  However, this prevents Mac apps like Path Finder, Photo Booth, Pixelmator, etc from showing up at the top of the list.
• This only works for Parallels VMs that have the setting enabled:  Options...Applications...Share Windows Applications with Mac.

 

The code isn't 100% perfect yet.  It shows some hidden, non-app files that it finds in those directories, but as you use the workflow, Alfred will de-prioritize those.

 

Download:  https://github.com/flakshack/ParallelsAppMenu/blob/master/Parallels%20App%20Menu.alfredworkflow?raw=true

 

Any comments, criticisms or suggestions welcome!

Edited April 30, 2013 by flakshack

[hzlzh]

Nice one, share it on the list below.

[carygee]

Cool. How would you modify this to include one's security password on Windows 8 launch?

[Southgirl]

I just downloaded this workflow, and this is what I got when looking for Calibre on my Parallels.

 

 

 

I tried with another three different programs and I get the same error = zero results. I do have the "Share Windows Applications with Mac" enabled though. I also noted that the workflow says "open file." Shouldn't it be "open app"? Just wondering as I have no idea how this works.

[flakshack]

@SouthGirl:  Thanks for your reply.  The workflow reads in the list of files from /Users/(your login)/Library/Parallels/Applications Menus.  Can you please verify that you have files in this folder?  Also, this workflow is for Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac.  I'm not sure if it would work with a previous version.

 

The workflow should display the items, even with just a "p<space>."  For example, in this screenshot you can see the red parallels overlay to indicate the Windows apps:

 

 

Also, it should say "Open File" instead of Open App, because the script is opening an XML file with the Parallels Link app.  I noticed that in your screenshot, the Open File workflow is missing the "Parallels Link" Icon:

 

 

On my system, this is located in:  /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app/Contents/Applications/Parallels Link.app.  I'm not sure why this would be missing, unless yours is installed somewhere else?

[flakshack]

Cool. How would you modify this to include one's security password on Windows 8 launch?

 

Sounds like you probably just need to configure your Windows 8 to auto-login.  Here's a link to instructions:  http://www.howtogeek.com/112919/how-to-make-your-windows-8-computer-logon-automatically/

 

There is no way to pass credentials from your Mac to a Windows VM.  The Windows login process is specifically designed to prevent it (which is why you have to press CTRL-ALT-DEL).  For example, you'll notice that you can't paste a password into the login prompt.

[Southgirl]

@SouthGirl:  Thanks for your reply.  The workflow reads in the list of files from /Users/(your login)/Library/Parallels/Applications Menus.  Can you please verify that you have files in this folder?  Also, this workflow is for Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac.  I'm not sure if it would work with a previous version.

 

The workflow should display the items, even with just a "p<space>."  For example, in this screenshot you can see the red parallels overlay to indicate the Windows apps:

 

<snip>

 

Also, it should say "Open File" instead of Open App, because the script is opening an XML file with the Parallels Link app.  I noticed that in your screenshot, the Open File workflow is missing the "Parallels Link" Icon:

 

<snip>

 

On my system, this is located in:  /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app/Contents/Applications/Parallels Link.app.  I'm not sure why this would be missing, unless yours is installed somewhere else?

 

1) I'm on Parallels 6 still...

 

2) The path is not "/Users/(your login)/Library/Parallels/Applications Menus" but "/Users/(your login)/Applications (Parallels)" in this version.

 

I have already bought version 8 but I'm not sure when I'll have the time to upgrade (whenever works allows it, regrettably).

 

Thanks anyway. I'll keep this workflow for the new version.

[Pchecoandres]

Hi @flakshack I hope you are doing well,

 

Are you still using this workflow? I just got parallel Windows Desktop 17 and I really would like to use this workflow, I installed it and follow everything, but apps don't show up after typing p, only 1 app (see picture) I've tried to fix it, but nothing yet, I wonder if Alfred is not refreshing its search engine or something..

I'm also new with Alfred.

 

 

 

 

[vitor]

Welcome @Pchecoandres,

 

7 hours ago, Pchecoandres said:

I wonder if Alfred is not refreshing its search engine or something

 

No, that is unrelated. From the moment you start the Script Filter, it becomes the Workflow’s responsibility to show results.

 

7 hours ago, Pchecoandres said:

I've tried to fix it

 

How? If you don’t specify what you’ve done, it’s not possible to know what went wrong. Use the debugger to see what’s happening. At the very least, you’ll probably need to install PHP.

 

Note this Workflow was last updated a decade ago. It may still work fine or it may not work at all because in the meantime Parallels may have changed their system significantly. @flakshack’s top post has other tips on how to remake this with some manual work (namely a File Filter, but you could also try a List Filter). Alternatively, there may be another Workflow which does this.