How to Run Paint Tool Sai on a Mac

EDIT EDIT: Added a small section on pen pressure.

EDIT: More programs added at the end! For those who would rather try something other than Parallels.

Since people were asking about it on my most recent deviation, here's how I managed to run Paint Tool Sai on my system with pen pressure. This is pretty much all taken from various tutorials, so if you read something you don't understand here, just google around and you should be able to find an answer. Also, I'm sure there are easier/different ways, but this is how it works for me.

Software/hardware used: Paint Tool Sai, Windows XP iso, Parallels Desktop 8, 2012 Macbook Pro. I initially used this with my Intuos tablet but it works with a Cintiq as well.

First, you must acquire both a copy of Parallels and either a Windows disc or ISO. I used Windows XP Professional since it seemed most lightweight to me (and I wouldn't be using it for anything other than drawing.)

Install Parallels. Once that's loaded up, select "Install Windows from DVD or Image File" or something along those lines. Follow the steps as advised; it should be fairly straightforward.

Soon you'll come across the options to use Windows "Like a Mac" or "Like a PC."

(image taken from official Parallels site)
Both options explain themselves fairly well. I chose "Like a PC."

From then on, the Windows installer should run as normal.

Now that you have your Windows OS running within your Mac, you need to:
a) acquire Paint Tool Sai
b) download the necessary tablet driver for Windows.
The latter can be found on the Wacom site for your region, of course. You shouldn't need to uninstall the driver for your Mac, they should both be able to run fine.

Lastly, you may find that even with the driver installed, pen pressure doesn't work. To fix that, go here:

It might also say something like "PTZ-[NUMBER]" or similar depending on the tablet model you have. Just click that. It might take a few tries/you might need to unplug the tablet and plug it back in.

And that's how you do it!

Other things to note:

• If you're using a Cintiq like me, you will have to recalibrate the tablet every time you connect it to Parallels. Also, after longs periods of use the cursor will start to drag behind the pen, so you'll need to calibrate it again. This can be done through the control panel.
• Also with using a Cintiq, before you quit the program you have to go back into Devices and select the tablet name so that it is unchecked, otherwise when the program is closed the tablet won't recognise the pen :[
  
• Once you Ctrl + Alt out of the window (to use another program or do something else) you will have to click directly back into it to get the full tablet functionality back.
• I can't remember exactly how to do this (it's either under "Parallels Desktop" or "Virtual Machine") but you may want to increase the amount of memory Parallels uses, as well as increasing the maximum canvas size in Sai itself, otherwise it might not be able to open large files.

When pen pressure fails:

• This journal is quite comprehensive on various ways to fix issues with pen pressure in sai
• This is the specific one that worked for me:  
  
• Make sure the tablet is disconnected from Parallels
  
• Go to the start menu -> all programs -> wacom -> wacom tablet preference file utility
• Under "my preferences", click "remove"
• Connect the tablet
  

Alternative software (I haven't tried any of these, just listing them!):

• Virtual Box -- the *legally* free alternative lol
  
• VMWare
• Wine -- no pen pressure, as far as I know
  
• Bootcamp
  

I think that's all for now! Hope that helped!!