doubling USB input port

[NoOp]

On 07/09/2012 03:10 PM, Joep L. Blom wrote:
> I have a peculiar problem for which hopefully somebody can give me a 
> solution.
> I have an external device that is connected to my system (ubuntu 10.04 
> on an AMD Phenom processor) via an USB-port.
> I have a Linux program that can process the data from the USB port as 
> well as a Windows program running in an XP-guest under VMware.
> VMware claims the USB port exclusively so the XP-guest has the 
> exclusive rights to process the data coming from the device.
> As the data from the device are only periodically read there is more 
> than enough time for both applications to acquire the data.
> I don't know a process that can switch control access to the USB port 
> nor do I know of a process that can mirror an USB port. I also don't 
> know if VMware (or virtualbox) has a control mechanism to switch an 
> external device from connect to disconnect (because when is device is 
> disconnected from a virtualization client it is automatically connected 
> to the host).
> Somebody has a clue or a brainwave?
> Joep
> 

Clicking on the device icon in VMWare Status Bar to disconnect/connect
isn't what you are looking for? Are you instead looking to do this via
software? Maybe this will be of use:
<http://www.vmware.com/support/ws45/doc/devices_usb_ws.html>

As for VirtualBox, the last time I tried with USB's, I ended up having
to plug and unplug the device to get it to switch. That's primarily why
I switched to VMWare.