Peterborough Linux User Group (Canada) Forum

Linux & Android => General Linux/Android Discussions => Topic started by: buster on May 12, 2025, 04:20:37 PM

Title: Getting Drag and Drop between Win Host and Linux Distro with VMWare, Virtual Box
Post by: buster on May 12, 2025, 04:20:37 PM
There is always an easier way to do things is a motto of Harry's and setting up drag and drop requires no great feat anymore. Here's how to do it simply:

VMWare: (I have an outdated VMware, but I assume the new release is similar.)

I first installed Synaptic in the Linux Distro, and then searched for and installed

open-vm-tools

open-vm-tools-desktop

A reboot maybe required. I can't remember.

VirtualBox could not be easier. Faster than its competitor.

Open Virtual Machine Settings:   While the virtual machine is off, open its settings by selecting it in the VirtualBox Manager and clicking "Settings".

Go to Advanced:   In the settings window, navigate to "Advanced" on the left-hand side.
 
Configure Shared Clipboard:   Under "Shared Clipboard," choose "Bidirectional" to allow copying text and data in both directions.
 
Configure Drag and Drop:   Similarly, for "Drag and Drop," choose "Bidirectional" to enable drag and drop in both directions.

Save and Start:   Click "OK" to save the changes and then start the virtual machine.

Test:   After the machine is running, try dragging files from the host to the guest and vice-versa to confirm the functionality.