129 lines
5.6 KiB
Markdown
129 lines
5.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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layout: "docs"
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page_title: "VMware Builder from VMX"
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---
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# VMware Builder (from VMX)
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Type: `vmware-vmx`
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This VMware builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
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existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently
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supports building virtual machines on hosts running
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[VMware Fusion](http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/overview.html) for OS X,
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[VMware Workstation](http://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/overview.html)
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for Linux and Windows, and
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[VMware Player](http://www.vmware.com/products/player/) on Linux.
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The builder builds a virtual machine by cloning the VMX file using
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the clone capabilities introduced in VMware Fusion 6, Workstation 10,
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and Player 6. After cloning the VM, it provisions software within the
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new machine, shuts it down, and compacts the disks. The resulting folder
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contains a new VMware virtual machine.
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## Basic Example
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Here is an example. This example is fully functional as long as the source
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path points to a real VMX file with the proper settings:
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<pre class="prettyprint">
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{
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"type": "vmware-vmx",
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"source_path": "/path/to/a/vm.vmx",
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"ssh_username": "root",
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"ssh_password": "root",
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"shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now"
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}
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</pre>
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## Configuration Reference
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There are many configuration options available for the VMware builder.
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They are organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within
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each category, the available options are alphabetized and described.
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Required:
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* `source_path` (string) - Path to the source VMX file to clone.
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* `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use to SSH into the machine
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once the OS is installed.
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Optional:
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* `boot_wait` (string) - The time to wait after booting the initial virtual
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machine before typing the `boot_command`. The value of this should be
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a duration. Examples are "5s" and "1m30s" which will cause Packer to wait
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five seconds and one minute 30 seconds, respectively. If this isn't specified,
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the default is 10 seconds.
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* `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy
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disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful
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for unattended Windows installs, which look for an `Autounattend.xml` file
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on removable media. By default, no floppy will be attached. All files
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listed in this setting get placed into the root directory of the floppy
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and the floppy is attached as the first floppy device. Currently, no
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support exists for creating sub-directories on the floppy. Wildcard
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characters (*, ?, and []) are allowed. Directory names are also allowed,
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which will add all the files found in the directory to the floppy.
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* `fusion_app_path` (string) - Path to "VMware Fusion.app". By default this
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is "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app" but this setting allows you to
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customize this.
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* `headless` (bool) - Packer defaults to building VMware
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virtual machines by launching a GUI that shows the console of the
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machine being built. When this value is set to true, the machine will
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start without a console. For VMware machines, Packer will output VNC
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connection information in case you need to connect to the console to
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debug the build process.
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* `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
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resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
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If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`
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is executed. This directory must not exist or be empty prior to running the builder.
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By default this is "output-BUILDNAME" where "BUILDNAME" is the name
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of the build.
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* `skip_compaction` (bool) - VMware-created disks are defragmented
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and compacted at the end of the build process using `vmware-vdiskmanager`.
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In certain rare cases, this might actually end up making the resulting disks
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slightly larger. If you find this to be the case, you can disable compaction
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using this configuration value.
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* `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down
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the machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty
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string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine.
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* `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing
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the `shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down.
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If it doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout
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is "5m", or five minutes.
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* `ssh_key_path` (string) - Path to a private key to use for authenticating
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with SSH. By default this is not set (key-based auth won't be used).
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The associated public key is expected to already be configured on the
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VM being prepared by some other process (kickstart, etc.).
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* `ssh_password` (string) - The password for `ssh_username` to use to
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authenticate with SSH. By default this is the empty string.
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* `ssh_port` (int) - The port that SSH will listen on within the virtual
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machine. By default this is 22.
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* `ssh_skip_request_pty` (bool) - If true, a pty will not be requested as
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part of the SSH connection. By default, this is "false", so a pty
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_will_ be requested.
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* `ssh_wait_timeout` (string) - The duration to wait for SSH to become
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available. By default this is "20m", or 20 minutes. Note that this should
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be quite long since the timer begins as soon as the virtual machine is booted.
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* `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual
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machine, without the file extension. By default this is "packer-BUILDNAME",
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where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build.
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* `vmx_data` (object, string keys and string values) - Arbitrary key/values
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to enter into the virtual machine VMX file. This is for advanced users
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who want to set properties such as memory, CPU, etc.
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