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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE topic
PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DITA Topic//EN" "topic.dtd">
<topic xml:lang="en-us" id="specialcharacters">
<title>Typing Special Characters</title>
<body>
<p>Some OSes expect certain key combinations to initiate certain procedures. The key combinations that
you type into a VM might target the host OS, the <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/product-name"/> software,
or the guest OS. The recipient of these keypresses depends on a number of factors, including the key combination
itself. </p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Host OSes reserve certain key combinations for themselves. For example, you cannot use the <b
outputclass="bold">Ctrl+Alt+Delete</b> combination to reboot the guest OS in your VM, because this key
combination is reserved by the host OS. Even though both Windows and Linux OSes can intercept this key
combination, the host OS is rebooted automatically. </p>
<p>On Linux and Oracle Solaris hosts, which use the X Window System, the key combination <b
outputclass="bold">Ctrl+Alt+Backspace</b> normally resets the X server and restarts the entire graphical
user interface. As the X server intercepts this combination, pressing it will usually restart your <i>host</i>
graphical user interface and kill all running programs, including <ph
conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/product-name"/>, in the process. </p>
<p>On Linux hosts supporting virtual terminals, the key combination <b outputclass="bold"
>Ctrl+Alt+Fx</b>, where Fx is one of the function keys from F1 to F12, normally enables you to switch
between virtual terminals. As with <b outputclass="bold">Ctrl+Alt+Delete</b>, these combinations are
intercepted by the host OS and therefore always switch terminals on the <i>host</i>. </p>
<p>If, instead, you want to send these key combinations to the <i>guest</i> OS in the virtual
machine, you will need to use one of the following methods: </p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Use the items in the <b outputclass="bold">Input</b>, <b outputclass="bold"
>Keyboard</b> menu of the virtual machine window. This menu includes the settings <b outputclass="bold"
>Insert Ctrl+Alt+Delete</b> and <b outputclass="bold">Insert Ctrl+Alt+Backspace</b>. However, the latter
setting affects only Linux guests or Oracle Solaris guests. </p>
<p>This menu also includes an option for inserting the Host key combination. </p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Use special key combinations with the Host key, which is normally the right Control
key. <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/product-name"/> then translates the following key combinations
for the VM: </p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><b outputclass="bold">Host key + Del</b> sends <b outputclass="bold"
>Ctrl+Alt+Del</b> to reboot the guest OS. </p>
</li>
<li>
<p><b outputclass="bold">Host key + Backspace</b> sends <b outputclass="bold"
>Ctrl+Alt+Backspace</b> to restart the graphical user interface of a Linux or Oracle Solaris guest. </p>
</li>
<li>
<p><b outputclass="bold">Host key + Function key</b>. For example, use this key
combination to simulate <b outputclass="bold">Ctrl+Alt+Fx</b> to switch between virtual terminals in a
Linux guest. </p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>For some other keyboard combinations such as <b outputclass="bold">Alt+Tab</b> to switch
between open windows, <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/product-name"/> enables you to configure whether
these combinations will affect the host or the guest, if a virtual machine currently has the focus. This is a
global setting for all virtual machines and can be found under <b outputclass="bold">File</b>, <b
outputclass="bold">Preferences</b>, <b outputclass="bold">Input</b>. </p>
</li>
<li>
<p>A soft keyboard can be used to input key combinations in the guest. See <xref
href="soft-keyb.dita#soft-keyb"/>. </p>
</li>
</ul>
</body>
</topic>
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