github.com/kikitux/packer@v0.10.1-0.20160322154024-6237df566f9f/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-vmx.html.md (about)

     1  ---
     2  description: |
     3      This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
     4      existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building
     5      virtual machines on hosts running VMware Fusion Professional for OS X, VMware
     6      Workstation for Linux and Windows, and VMware Player on Linux.
     7  layout: docs
     8  page_title: VMware Builder from VMX
     9  ...
    10  
    11  # VMware Builder (from VMX)
    12  
    13  Type: `vmware-vmx`
    14  
    15  This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
    16  existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building
    17  virtual machines on hosts running [VMware Fusion
    18  Professional](https://www.vmware.com/products/fusion-professional/) for OS X,
    19  [VMware Workstation](https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/overview.html)
    20  for Linux and Windows, and [VMware
    21  Player](https://www.vmware.com/products/player/) on Linux.
    22  
    23  The builder builds a virtual machine by cloning the VMX file using the clone
    24  capabilities introduced in VMware Fusion Professional 6, Workstation 10, and
    25  Player 6. After cloning the VM, it provisions software within the new machine,
    26  shuts it down, and compacts the disks. The resulting folder contains a new
    27  VMware virtual machine.
    28  
    29  ## Basic Example
    30  
    31  Here is an example. This example is fully functional as long as the source path
    32  points to a real VMX file with the proper settings:
    33  
    34  ``` {.javascript}
    35  {
    36    "type": "vmware-vmx",
    37    "source_path": "/path/to/a/vm.vmx",
    38    "ssh_username": "root",
    39    "ssh_password": "root",
    40    "shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now"
    41  }
    42  ```
    43  
    44  ## Configuration Reference
    45  
    46  There are many configuration options available for the VMware builder. They are
    47  organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within each
    48  category, the available options are alphabetized and described.
    49  
    50  In addition to the options listed here, a
    51  [communicator](/docs/templates/communicator.html) can be configured for this
    52  builder.
    53  
    54  ### Required:
    55  
    56  -   `source_path` (string) - Path to the source VMX file to clone.
    57  
    58  -   `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use to SSH into the machine once
    59      the OS is installed.
    60  
    61  ### Optional:
    62  
    63  -   `boot_command` (array of strings) - This is an array of commands to type
    64      when the virtual machine is first booted. The goal of these commands should
    65      be to type just enough to initialize the operating system installer. Special
    66      keys can be typed as well, and are covered in the section below on the
    67      boot command. If this is not specified, it is assumed the installer will
    68      start itself.
    69  
    70  -   `boot_wait` (string) - The time to wait after booting the initial virtual
    71      machine before typing the `boot_command`. The value of this should be
    72      a duration. Examples are "5s" and "1m30s" which will cause Packer to wait
    73      five seconds and one minute 30 seconds, respectively. If this isn't
    74      specified, the default is 10 seconds.
    75  
    76  -   `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy
    77      disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful for
    78      unattended Windows installs, which look for an `Autounattend.xml` file on
    79      removable media. By default, no floppy will be attached. All files listed in
    80      this setting get placed into the root directory of the floppy and the floppy
    81      is attached as the first floppy device. Currently, no support exists for
    82      creating sub-directories on the floppy. Wildcard characters (\*, ?,
    83      and \[\]) are allowed. Directory names are also allowed, which will add all
    84      the files found in the directory to the floppy.
    85  
    86  -   `fusion_app_path` (string) - Path to "VMware Fusion.app". By default this is
    87      "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app" but this setting allows you to
    88      customize this.
    89  
    90  -   `headless` (boolean) - Packer defaults to building VMware virtual machines
    91      by launching a GUI that shows the console of the machine being built. When
    92      this value is set to true, the machine will start without a console. For
    93      VMware machines, Packer will output VNC connection information in case you
    94      need to connect to the console to debug the build process.
    95  
    96  -   `http_directory` (string) - Path to a directory to serve using an
    97      HTTP server. The files in this directory will be available over HTTP that
    98      will be requestable from the virtual machine. This is useful for hosting
    99      kickstart files and so on. By default this is "", which means no HTTP server
   100      will be started. The address and port of the HTTP server will be available
   101      as variables in `boot_command`. This is covered in more detail below.
   102  
   103  -   `http_port_min` and `http_port_max` (integer) - These are the minimum and
   104      maximum port to use for the HTTP server started to serve the
   105      `http_directory`. Because Packer often runs in parallel, Packer will choose
   106      a randomly available port in this range to run the HTTP server. If you want
   107      to force the HTTP server to be on one port, make this minimum and maximum
   108      port the same. By default the values are 8000 and 9000, respectively.
   109  
   110  -   `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
   111      resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
   112      If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`
   113      is executed. This directory must not exist or be empty prior to running
   114      the builder. By default this is "output-BUILDNAME" where "BUILDNAME" is the
   115      name of the build.
   116  
   117  -   `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down the
   118      machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty
   119      string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine unless a
   120      shutdown command takes place inside script so this may safely be omitted. If
   121      one or more scripts require a reboot it is suggested to leave this blank
   122      since reboots may fail and specify the final shutdown command in your
   123      last script.
   124  
   125  -   `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing the
   126      `shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down. If it
   127      doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout is
   128      "5m", or five minutes.
   129  
   130  -   `skip_compaction` (boolean) - VMware-created disks are defragmented and
   131      compacted at the end of the build process using `vmware-vdiskmanager`. In
   132      certain rare cases, this might actually end up making the resulting disks
   133      slightly larger. If you find this to be the case, you can disable compaction
   134      using this configuration value.
   135  
   136  -   `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual
   137      machine, without the file extension. By default this is "packer-BUILDNAME",
   138      where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build.
   139  
   140  -   `vmx_data` (object of key/value strings) - Arbitrary key/values to enter
   141      into the virtual machine VMX file. This is for advanced users who want to
   142      set properties such as memory, CPU, etc.
   143  
   144  -   `vmx_data_post` (object of key/value strings) - Identical to `vmx_data`,
   145      except that it is run after the virtual machine is shutdown, and before the
   146      virtual machine is exported.
   147  
   148  -   `vnc_port_min` and `vnc_port_max` (integer) - The minimum and maximum port
   149      to use for VNC access to the virtual machine. The builder uses VNC to type
   150      the initial `boot_command`. Because Packer generally runs in parallel,
   151      Packer uses a randomly chosen port in this range that appears available. By
   152      default this is 5900 to 6000. The minimum and maximum ports are inclusive.