TypeThru – Paste text into the vSphere web console

Types text such as passwords, commands or license keys into the vSphere HTML5 web console, where copy and paste is not available.

The vSphere HTML5 web console has no clipboard support for the guest. Long passwords, shell commands, license keys or IP configurations have to be typed by hand – slow and error-prone, especially on login screens, during OS installation or in recovery consoles without VMware Tools. TypeThru fixes that. Open the web console, click the TypeThru icon, enter your text and press Enter. TypeThru sends it to the console as keystrokes. KEYBOARD LAYOUTS The console sends characters as US key positions. If the guest uses another layout, many characters arrive wrong. TypeThru types every character as the right physical key for the keyboard layout set inside the VM – including AltGr characters like @ { } [ ] \ | – so the right characters appear: • German (Germany, Austria) • Swiss German • French (AZERTY) • English (UK) • Spanish • Italian • US FEATURES • Types any text into the vSphere web console • Script mode: multi-line text and scripts, line by line, with speed setting, progress and cancel • Keyboard layouts including AltGr characters and dead keys • Shows and switches the console's "Enforce US Keyboard Layout" button • Shows the target page before sending • Allowed hosts configurable in the options or centrally by enterprise policy • Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Y PRIVACY AND SECURITY • Only three permissions: activeTab, scripting and storage – no access to other sites • Works only on the tab you are on, after you click the icon • No network requests, no analytics, no remote code • Your text is never stored; only your settings are remembered • Open source: https://github.com/jonasesser/typethru USE CASES • Passwords on Windows and Linux login screens • Commands, scripts and configuration snippets • License and product keys during OS installation • IP addresses, hostnames and domain-join details LIMITATIONS • Characters that are not on the VM's keyboard layout are rejected instead of being typed wrong. • TypeThru uses the console's internal input functions, which may change with vSphere updates. TypeThru is an independent open source project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Broadcom or VMware. vSphere is a trademark of its respective owner.