Using Generations on a Macintosh
I’ve recorded about 18 webinars on digitizing with Generations and there’s usually a Mac user in the audience who is frustrated by the lack of digitizing programs on Mac. Well, until that’s remedied, it is possible to use Generations on your Mac if you have a Windows emulator and a version of Windows installed. For me, that’s Parallels and XP.
Here I’ll repost a reply I made on a list to to Windows user who was frustrated with wasting so much time hassling with Windows problems and was wondering how Generations would work on Mac. So here’s my response:
Generations + Mac OS X + Parallels + XP
I didn’t really start using Generations until I could run it on my Mac. I have Generations set up on my desktop Mac & a laptop. I run XP on Parallels on both. I prefer Parallels because I want to use Windows in conjunction with Mac OS. I don’t want to reboot (Bootcamp). I haven’t worked with Fusion. There’s a good review of Windows on Mac in the May Macworld.
Tablets & Scanners Work
I have a Wacom Intuos II tablet that works in both environments but I really use a mouse more. My hand cramps with a pen. I have 2 USB scanners that I can attach if I need to scanning into Generations. The Microtek works better than the Canon. For some reason, the Canon’s settings are not selectable in Generations.
I don’t do a whole lot on the Windows side. Mostly Generations and 1 or 2 other embroidery programs (Adorable You and Master Works). All my graphics are on the Mac side. By accident I found I can drag and drop an image from the Mac desktop into an open Generations document and it will launch the Insert Image sequence. I also keep all my designs on the Mac side and use Convert It Mac to color, browse, and convert stitch files.
F-Keys
The only issue I have running Windows programs is with the F-keys. I can configure them for Windows but because I’m used to how they work in OS X, they just confuse me. (Configuring F-Keys for Generations is covered Unit 1 of Learn to Digitize.)
The Delete Key Thing.
On a laptop, there’s the delete key issue. The Mac delete key on the standard area of the keyboard functions like a backspace key. The only work around I know of is to choose delete from the menu unless you use an external keyboard or get a numeric keypad.
I guess the other big decisions have to do with other software. Are you a Mac user who just uses a PC to do Generations (my situation)? Or are you primarily a PC person?
Looks Like Windows
As far as it looking like a normal PC, I have Parallels configured to see my Mac volumes and programs. That means sometimes when I do any file access, those folders/volumes are visible. Also, when I have Insert Image configured to let me edit in a graphics program, all the available Mac programs show up as well.
When you run Parallels, it runs like a standard Mac app and then you launch whatever virtual machines you’ve configured. This means that Windows will run full screen inside a Parallels window. If you maximize the Parallels window, your Windows will appear full screen. if you have your Mac Dock set to hide, all that will be visible of a Mac environment will be the Parallels menu bar at the top of the screen.
Get a 2-Button Mouse
When you are in Windows, you are in Windows. So unless you are doing something that requires you to go to the Mac, you will get a pretty normal Windows experience. CTRL & ALT keys work like you’d expect. Get a third party 2-button mouse for right-clicking.
Still Not Convinced?
Check out the free Generations Workshop Webinars. That’s a Mac!
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