github.com/ratanraj/packer@v1.3.2/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-vmx.html.md.erb (about) 1 --- 2 modeline: | 3 vim: set ft=pandoc: 4 description: | 5 This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an 6 existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building 7 virtual machines on hosts running VMware Fusion Professional for OS X, VMware 8 Workstation for Linux and Windows, and VMware Player on Linux. 9 layout: docs 10 page_title: 'VMware VMX - Builders' 11 sidebar_current: 'docs-builders-vmware-vmx' 12 --- 13 14 # VMware Builder (from VMX) 15 16 Type: `vmware-vmx` 17 18 This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an 19 existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building 20 virtual machines on hosts running [VMware Fusion 21 Professional](https://www.vmware.com/products/fusion-professional/) for OS X, 22 [VMware Workstation](https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/overview.html) 23 for Linux and Windows, and [VMware 24 Player](https://www.vmware.com/products/player/) on Linux. 25 26 The builder builds a virtual machine by cloning the VMX file using the clone 27 capabilities introduced in VMware Fusion Professional 6, Workstation 10, and 28 Player 6. After cloning the VM, it provisions software within the new machine, 29 shuts it down, and compacts the disks. The resulting folder contains a new 30 VMware virtual machine. 31 32 ## Basic Example 33 34 Here is an example. This example is fully functional as long as the source path 35 points to a real VMX file with the proper settings: 36 37 ``` json 38 { 39 "type": "vmware-vmx", 40 "source_path": "/path/to/a/vm.vmx", 41 "ssh_username": "root", 42 "ssh_password": "root", 43 "shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now" 44 } 45 ``` 46 47 ## Configuration Reference 48 49 There are many configuration options available for the VMware builder. They are 50 organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within each 51 category, the available options are alphabetized and described. 52 53 In addition to the options listed here, a 54 [communicator](/docs/templates/communicator.html) can be configured for this 55 builder. 56 57 ### Required: 58 59 - `source_path` (string) - Path to the source VMX file to clone. 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 `10s` or 10 seconds. 75 76 - `disable_vnc` (boolean) - Whether to create a VNC connection or not. 77 A `boot_command` cannot be used when this is `false`. Defaults to `false`. 78 79 - `floppy_dirs` (array of strings) - A list of directories to place onto 80 the floppy disk recursively. This is similar to the `floppy_files` option 81 except that the directory structure is preserved. This is useful for when 82 your floppy disk includes drivers or if you just want to organize it's 83 contents as a hierarchy. Wildcard characters (\*, ?, and \[\]) are allowed. 84 85 - `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy 86 disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful for 87 unattended Windows installs, which look for an `Autounattend.xml` file on 88 removable media. By default, no floppy will be attached. All files listed in 89 this setting get placed into the root directory of the floppy and the floppy 90 is attached as the first floppy device. Currently, no support exists for 91 creating sub-directories on the floppy. Wildcard characters (\*, ?, 92 and \[\]) are allowed. Directory names are also allowed, which will add all 93 the files found in the directory to the floppy. 94 95 - `fusion_app_path` (string) - Path to "VMware Fusion.app". By default this is 96 `/Applications/VMware Fusion.app` but this setting allows you to 97 customize this. 98 99 - `headless` (boolean) - Packer defaults to building VMware virtual machines 100 by launching a GUI that shows the console of the machine being built. When 101 this value is set to `true`, the machine will start without a console. For 102 VMware machines, Packer will output VNC connection information in case you 103 need to connect to the console to debug the build process. 104 105 - `http_directory` (string) - Path to a directory to serve using an 106 HTTP server. The files in this directory will be available over HTTP that 107 will be requestable from the virtual machine. This is useful for hosting 108 kickstart files and so on. By default this is an empty string, which means 109 no HTTP server will be started. The address and port of the HTTP server will 110 be available as variables in `boot_command`. This is covered in more detail 111 below. 112 113 - `http_port_min` and `http_port_max` (number) - These are the minimum and 114 maximum port to use for the HTTP server started to serve the 115 `http_directory`. Because Packer often runs in parallel, Packer will choose 116 a randomly available port in this range to run the HTTP server. If you want 117 to force the HTTP server to be on one port, make this minimum and maximum 118 port the same. By default the values are `8000` and `9000`, respectively. 119 120 - `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the 121 resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute. 122 If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer` 123 is executed. This directory must not exist or be empty prior to running 124 the builder. By default this is `output-BUILDNAME` where "BUILDNAME" is the 125 name of the build. 126 127 - `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down the 128 machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty 129 string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine unless a 130 shutdown command takes place inside script so this may safely be omitted. If 131 one or more scripts require a reboot it is suggested to leave this blank 132 since reboots may fail and specify the final shutdown command in your 133 last script. 134 135 - `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing the 136 `shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down. If it 137 doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout is 138 `5m` or five minutes. 139 140 - `linked` (boolean) - By default Packer creates a 'full' clone of 141 the virtual machine specified in `source_path`. The resultant virtual 142 machine is fully independant from the parent it was cloned from. 143 144 Setting `linked` to `true` instead causes Packer to create the virtual 145 machine as a 'linked' clone. Linked clones use and require ongoing 146 access to the disks of the parent virtual machine. The benefit of a 147 linked clone is that the clones virtual disk is typically very much 148 smaller than would be the case for a full clone. Additionally, the 149 cloned virtual machine can also be created much faster. Creating a 150 linked clone will typically only be of benefit in some advanced build 151 scenarios. Most users will wish to create a full clone instead. 152 Defaults to `false`. 153 154 - `skip_compaction` (boolean) - VMware-created disks are defragmented and 155 compacted at the end of the build process using `vmware-vdiskmanager`. In 156 certain rare cases, this might actually end up making the resulting disks 157 slightly larger. If you find this to be the case, you can disable compaction 158 using this configuration value. Defaults to `false`. 159 160 - `tools_upload_flavor` (string) - The flavor of the VMware Tools ISO to 161 upload into the VM. Valid values are `darwin`, `linux`, and `windows`. By 162 default, this is empty, which means VMware tools won't be uploaded. 163 164 - `tools_upload_path` (string) - The path in the VM to upload the 165 VMware tools. This only takes effect if `tools_upload_flavor` is non-empty. 166 This is a [configuration 167 template](/docs/templates/engine.html) that has a single 168 valid variable: `Flavor`, which will be the value of `tools_upload_flavor`. 169 By default the upload path is set to `{{.Flavor}}.iso`. 170 171 - `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual 172 machine, without the file extension. By default this is `packer-BUILDNAME`, 173 where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build. 174 175 - `vmx_data` (object of key/value strings) - Arbitrary key/values to enter 176 into the virtual machine VMX file. This is for advanced users who want to 177 set properties such as memory, CPU, etc. 178 179 - `vmx_data_post` (object of key/value strings) - Identical to `vmx_data`, 180 except that it is run after the virtual machine is shutdown, and before the 181 virtual machine is exported. 182 183 - `vmx_remove_ethernet_interfaces` (boolean) - Remove all ethernet interfaces 184 from the VMX file after building. This is for advanced users who understand 185 the ramifications, but is useful for building Vagrant boxes since Vagrant 186 will create ethernet interfaces when provisioning a box. Defaults to 187 `false`. 188 189 - `vnc_bind_address` (string / IP address) - The IP address that should be 190 binded to for VNC. By default packer will use `127.0.0.1` for this. If you 191 wish to bind to all interfaces use `0.0.0.0`. 192 193 - `vnc_disable_password` (boolean) - Don't auto-generate a VNC password that 194 is used to secure the VNC communication with the VM. 195 196 - `vnc_port_min` and `vnc_port_max` (number) - The minimum and maximum port 197 to use for VNC access to the virtual machine. The builder uses VNC to type 198 the initial `boot_command`. Because Packer generally runs in parallel, 199 Packer uses a randomly chosen port in this range that appears available. By 200 default this is `5900` to `6000`. The minimum and maximum ports are 201 inclusive. 202 203 ## Boot Command 204 205 The `boot_command` configuration is very important: it specifies the keys to 206 type when the virtual machine is first booted in order to start the OS 207 installer. This command is typed after `boot_wait`. 208 209 As documented above, the `boot_command` is an array of strings. The strings are 210 all typed in sequence. It is an array only to improve readability within the 211 template. 212 213 The boot command is "typed" character for character over a VNC connection to the 214 machine, simulating a human actually typing the keyboard. 215 216 -> Keystrokes are typed as separate key up/down events over VNC with a 217 default 100ms delay. The delay alleviates issues with latency and CPU 218 contention. You can tune this delay on a per-builder basis by specifying 219 "boot_key_interval" in your Packer template, for example: 220 221 ``` 222 { 223 "builders": [ 224 { 225 "type": "vmware-vmx", 226 "boot_key_interval": "10ms" 227 ... 228 } 229 ] 230 } 231 ``` 232 233 <%= partial "partials/builders/boot-command" %> 234 235 Example boot command. This is actually a working boot command used to start an 236 Ubuntu 12.04 installer: 237 238 ``` text 239 [ 240 "<esc><esc><enter><wait>", 241 "/install/vmlinuz noapic ", 242 "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ", 243 "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ", 244 "hostname={{ .Name }} ", 245 "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ", 246 "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ", 247 "keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ", 248 "initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- <enter>" 249 ] 250 ``` 251 252 For more examples of various boot commands, see the sample projects from our 253 [community templates page](/community-tools.html#templates).