Running a Windows programme full time in Mint?

[rafikiphoto]

I have pretty much transitioned to Mint now but there are a couple of Windows programs that I can't do without. One is Capture One for photo editing (I know all about the Linux alternatives but this is a different league), the other is eM Client, my favourite email client. Now, with photo editing I can pop in and out of a virtual machine as necessary so don't need it running all the time but the email client needs to be running and accessible constantly. I have them both installed in VMware Workstation 16 Player. Is there a way to run eM Client in the vm as if it were running natively in Mint? Start with Mint and run from the taskbar?
Note: I have tried installing eM C with Wine and with Crossover but it is one of those unfortunate apps that just will not run properly in that environment.

[Cosmo.]

Something, what you do not yet have made to your habits: We need to know at least the version of Mint and your desktop.

I don't use VMW, but assuming, that the general features of VirtualBox are similar the answer is (very most likely): No, not possible. A virtual machine is not a Linux application.

Something, that is perhaps possible (in VB it is): Create a desktop link and place this into the panel launcher applet (if your unknown desktop allows this).

[rafikiphoto]

Something, what you do not yet have made to your habits: We need to know at least the version of Mint and your desktop.

Silly of me: Mint 21 Cinnamon

I'd like to try a desktop link. I'm familiar with the desktop launcher creation but not sure how to find what to link it to.

[Cosmo.]

In VB there is a command for creating a desktop link in the context menu of the virtual machine in the VB Manager. I do not know, if this is similar in VMW. If so, you can set this in Cinnamon to the menu and to the panel.

Something, what I did never try (but is available in the start program settings) is to auto start it (at best with some delay).

[rafikiphoto]

Thanks, I'll take a look. I use Startup Applications app for a few apps already.

[MikeNovember]

I have pretty much transitioned to Mint now but there are a couple of Windows programs that I can't do without. One is Capture One for photo editing (I know all about the Linux alternatives but this is a different league), the other is eM Client, my favourite email client. Now, with photo editing I can pop in and out of a virtual machine as necessary so don't need it running all the time but the email client needs to be running and accessible constantly. I have them both installed in VMware Workstation 16 Player. Is there a way to run eM Client in the vm as if it were running natively in Mint? Start with Mint and run from the taskbar?
Note: I have tried installing eM C with Wine and with Crossover but it is one of those unfortunate apps that just will not run properly in that environment.

Hi,

The Unity mode has been discarded by VMware for linux hosts or guests in VMware workstation Player 12. It is so no longer possible to have windows programs launched from Mint menu or taskbar, they need to be launched from the Start Menu in the Windows host.

It seems Virtual Box has kept this capability, maybe it should be worth a try.

Concerning Wine: you don't say the version of Wine / Crossover you use, you should always use the latest stable.

The best way to use Wine is by using Bottles:
- the Windows environment is much more complete than in "pure" Wine,
- the use of flatpak Bottles is recommended since it is the most achieved version of Bottles and since the isolation between Linux and Windows apps is the best one (flatpak Bottles run in a sandbox).

Regards,

MN

[rafikiphoto]

Thanks. I'll take a look at VirtualBox. Crossover and are Wine both latest versions. Unfortunately eM Client is well documented in Crossover and Wine as delinquent. But despite that I have tried all ways round myself to find a way to be able to use it. Nobody else has succeeded either. The latest eM C installs and works but just too frequently shuts down without notice. So often as to be unuseable.

[axrusar]

Just curious..
Have you really given a try to some of the available email clients in Linux? What's on that eM client that is so irreplaceable?
I took a quick look at the eM website and saw a few screenshots of the program, then another site with a list of 15 email client alternatives for Linux. Evolution GUI does not look that far from eM, and it may have options to tweak it more to what you are used to.

I remember that feeling when I switched from win to Linux and back to win, as I could not let go some things only available in MS, many years ago... Then something clicked on me and I couldn't care less about using things alternative and I'm much happier now using this amazing OS and the gazillion of alternatives available for it.
Cough- cough... I have Photoshop in a VM

[rafikiphoto]

Yes, of course, I have *really* tried the alternatives. Mailspring is the closest but falls down on various issues for me. What's special about eM Client? In-window message translation is the essential for me. See the message in the foreign language, click 'translate now' and the translation replaces the foreign text. Quick and easy when one has multiple messages like that every day.
Photoshop? Yes, I am running Capture One in a VM and I do, no problem, that wasn't my query
My question was whether one can run an app like eM C within a VM but on the Mint desktop as if it were native.

[nooblinx]

you can use thunderbird from Mozilla. I remember there was an inline translator addon for it using Google translate