[Qemu-devel] [Bug 614958] Re: copy-paste between client and host

[Steve White <Stevan_White@hotmail.com>]

Hi Paolo,

Thanks for your acknowledgement!  if a solution is on the way, I'm glad
to hear it!

I agree that it would be best to keep this report open until *after* the
solution arrives and this particular feature has been tested and it has
been released to the public.  If this SPICE doesn't completely satisfy
the cut and paste requirement, then the bug report should be moved to
the SPICE bug report system.

We are eagerly awaiting the new features!

Cheers!

-- 
copy-paste between client and host
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/614958
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Status in QEMU: New

Bug description:
Hi,

I propose that copy/paste between VMs be implemented somehow directly in QEMU.
This has been discussed repeatedly elsewhere; various solutions are proposed.  See below.

As it is, each user has to do their own research and testing if they are to find a solution.   This makes the product frustratingly unattractive for many.

Most solutions involve either running vnc and using a vnc client that supports copy/paste (this can be tricky to find itself), or running some other tcp-based copy-paste application. 

For many users, the networking in a client VM is unimportant--they just want to run some application there, and setting up netoworking in a VM itself can be an issue.  Most of these solutions rely on un-maintained software, and some require that other software be installed to make them work (Basic interpreter, Java, etc).  Any of these solutions take some work to set up.

I can tell you, the absence of a copy/paste mechanism makes the project an immediate no-go for many users.  I work with a guy who spent a lot of time trying, gave up, and switched to VirtualBox for this exact reason.

It would be much better if copy/paste worked out of the box.  Ideally, it should work independently of networking.

Cheers!

Some discussions and proposed solutions:
-----------------------------------------------------
http://qemu-forum.ipi.fi/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=161
    Somebody suggests VNC into the virtual host, and use vncviewer
    Somebody else suggests TCP/IP Clipboard (text editor with tcp/ip)

http://qemu-forum.ipi.fi/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2626
    primitive app for sharing text across machines (in Basic)
    http://homepage.mac.com/bnej/shareclip/

http://borderworlds.dk/blog/20070217-00.html
    Says doesn't know a good solution but points to unmaintained package
    Qemu Guest Tools
    http://wolfpackally.wo.funpic.de/qemu/qgt/

http://bonzoli.com/docs/How_to_setup_Qemu_on_Fedora_8.html
    proposes Java remoteclip running on client and server
    http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/rcm/WWW/RemoteClip/