packer-cn/website/source/docs/builders/digitalocean.html.markdown

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layout: "docs"
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# DigitalOcean Builder

Type: `digitalocean`

The `digitalocean` builder is able to create new images for use with
[DigitalOcean](http://www.digitalocean.com). The builder takes a source
image, runs any provisioning necessary on the image after launching it,
then snapshots it into a reusable image. This reusable image can then be
used as the foundation of new servers that are launched within DigitalOcean.

The builder does _not_ manage images. Once it creates an image, it is up to
you to use it or delete it.

## Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for the builder. They are
segmented below into two categories: required and optional parameters. Within
each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized.

Required:

* `api_key` (string) - The API key to use to access your account. You can
  retrieve this on the "API" page visible after logging into your account
  on DigitalOcean.

* `client_id` (string) - The client ID to use to access your account. You can
  find this on the "API" page visible after logging into your account on
  DigitalOcean.

Optional:

* `event_delay` (string) - The delay, as a duration string, before checking
  the status of an event. DigitalOcean's current API has consistency issues
  where events take time to appear after being created. This defaults to "5s"
  and generally shouldn't have to be changed.

* `image_id` (int) - The ID of the base image to use. This is the image that
  will be used to launch a new droplet and provision it. Defaults to "284203",
  which happens to be "Ubuntu 12.04 x64 Server."

* `region_id` (int) - The ID of the region to launch the droplet in. Consequently,
  this is the region where the snapshot will be available. This defaults to
  "1", which is "New York."

* `size_id` (int) - The ID of the droplet size to use. This defaults to "66,"
  which is the 512MB droplet.

* `snapshot_name` (string) - The name of the resulting snapshot that will
  appear in your account. This must be unique. To help make this unique,
  certain template parameters are available for this value, and are documented
  below.

* `ssh_port` (int) - The port that SSH will be available on. Defaults to port
  22.

* `ssh_timeout` (string) - The time to wait for SSH to become available
  before timing out. The format of this value is a duration such as "5s"
  or "5m". The default SSH timeout is "1m".

* `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use in order to communicate
  over SSH to the running droplet. Default is "root".

## Basic Example

Here is a basic example. It is completely valid as soon as you enter your
own access tokens:

<pre class="prettyprint">
{
  "type": "digitalocean",
  "client_id": "YOUR CLIENT ID",
  "api_key": "YOUR API KEY"
}
</pre>

## Snapshot Name Variables

The `snapshot_name` for a DigitalOcean image must be unique. The configuration
variable is actually treated as a [configuration template](/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html) and has various variables available to help keep this unique. Read
the prior linked page for information on syntax if you're unfamiliar with it.

The available variables are shown below:

* `CreateTime`- This will be replaced with the Unix timestamp of when the
  image is created.

## Finding Image, Region, and Size IDs

Unfortunately, finding a list of available values for `image_id`, `region_id`,
and `size_id` is not easy at the moment. Basically, it has to be done through
the [DigitalOcean API](https://www.digitalocean.com/api_access) using the
`/images`, `/regions`, and `/sizes` endpoints. You can use `curl` for this
or request it in your browser.

If you're comfortable installing RubyGems, [Tugboat](https://github.com/pearkes/tugboat)
is a fantastic DigitalOcean command-line client that has commands to
find the available images, regions, and sizes. For example, to see all the
global images, you can run `tugboat images --global`.