vmfusion-python
===============

vmfusion-python is a low-level python interface for the VMware Fusion
command line tools vmrun and vmware-vdiskmanager. It aims to be human
readable (because I still have no idea why -k is shrink, -n is rename
and -r is convert) and easy to use.

The vmrun command comes with a ton of command line options. At the
moment, only the common commands are implemented because I have yet to
find an actual use case for the rest. If you have need for a
non-implemented command, open an issue or send me a pull request.

Overview
========

vmrun
-----

The ``vmrun`` tool can be used to control the runtime state of a VM.

Note: Contrary to the behavior of vmrun, the API will work with both
absolute *and* relative VMX paths.

list
~~~~

Return information about all running VMs.

Usage: ``vmrun.list()``

Example:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vmrun
    >>> print vmrun.list()
    {
        'count': 3,
        'machines': [
        '/Users/msteinhoff/Documents/Virtual Machines/test1/test1.vmx',
        '/Users/msteinhoff/Documents/Virtual Machines/test1/test2.vmx', 
        '/Users/Shared/Virtual Machines/test3/test3.vmx',
        ]
    }

*Note:* This will only return actual running VMs and is not the same als
the Virtual Machine Library from the VMware Fusion GUI, which also
displays halted and suspended VMs.

start
~~~~~

Power on a VM.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.start( vmx )

**Note/Warning:** There is an optional ``gui`` parameter which can be
set to False to launch the VM in *nogui mode*.

The nogui mode is weird. In nogui mode, the VM window will not be
visible but displayed in VMware Fusion.app when its already running. If
the Fusion GUI is not running and you launch it or close/launch it, the
VM gets converted back to gui mode. Oh and if you then close VMware
Fusion.app the VM gets suspended. (at least thats whats happening on my
system).

stop
~~~~

Shutdown a VM.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.stop( vmx, soft=True )

When ``soft`` is set to True (default), configured shutdown scripts will
be executed and an shutdown signal will be sent to the guest OS. For
this to work, vmware tools need to be installed. Otherwise, the VM is
killed with no mercy.

reset
~~~~~

Reboot a VM.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.reset( vmx, soft=True )

When ``soft`` is set to True (default), configured shutdown/power-on
scripts will be executed and an shutdown signal will be sent to the
guest OS. For this to work, vmware tools need to be installed.
Otherwise, the VM is killed with no mercy.

suspend
~~~~~~~

Suspend VM state to disk.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.suspend( vmx, soft=True )

When ``soft`` is set to True (default), configured suspend scripts will
be executed before the system is suspended.

pause
~~~~~

Halt the CPU execution of a VM.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.pause( vmx )

unpause
~~~~~~~

Continue CPU execution of a M.

Usage:

::

    vmrun.unpause( vmx )

vdiskmanager
------------

With the ``vdiskmanager`` tool VMDK disks can be managed. For all
methods, the ``vmdk`` parameter always expects a relative path to the
vmdk file.

create
~~~~~~

Creates a new VMDK file with the given parameters.

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.create( vmdk, size, disk_type=None, adapter_type=None )

Arguments:

-  ``size``

   A size specification readable by the tool, e.g. ``100MB``, ``20GB``,
   ``1TB``. No validation is performed.

-  ``disk_type``

   Optional type of the disk to be created, one of the following:

   -  ``SPARSE_SINGLE``: A single growable VMDK file
   -  ``SPARSE_SPLIT``: Many growable VMDK files, split into 2 GB slices
   -  ``PREALLOC_SINGLE``: A single preallocated VMDK file
   -  ``PREALLOC_SPLIT``: Many preallocated 2 GB VMDK files

   Default is ``SPARSE_SPLIT``.

-  ``adapter_type``

   Optional type of the disk adapter, one of the following:

   -  ``IDE``
   -  ``LSILOGIC``
   -  ``BUSLOGIC``

   Default is ``LSILOGIC``.

defragment
~~~~~~~~~~

Defragments VMDK files on the VMware level (not to be confused with
guest filesystem defagmentation).

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.defragment( vmdk )

shrink
~~~~~~

This will perform a shrink of the VMDK on the VMware level (The guest
filesystem must be prepared for this to work, e.g. with the zerofill
tool on Linux.).

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.shrink( vmdk )

rename
~~~~~~

This will rename a VMDK file. Useful for large split disks with over
9000 2GB slices.

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.rename( source_vmdk, destination_vmdk )

convert
~~~~~~~

This will convert the disk type of the given VMDK file.

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.convert( vmdk, disk_type )

The ``disk_type`` parameter is the same as in create() and must be one
of the following:

-  ``SPARSE_SINGLE``: A single growable VMDK file
-  ``SPARSE_SPLIT``: Many growable VMDK files, split into 2 GB slices
-  ``PREALLOC_SINGLE``: A single preallocated VMDK file
-  ``PREALLOC_SPLIT``: Many preallocated 2 GB VMDK files

expand
~~~~~~

This will expand the VMDK to the given size.

Usage:

::

    vdiskmanager.convert( vmdk, new_size )

The ``new_size`` parameter must be a size specification readable by the
tool, e.g. ``100MB``, ``20GB``, ``1TB``. No validation is performed.

vmnet\_\*
=========

It is often handy to gather certain information about the local VMware
networks.

By default VMware creates a host-only network and a NAT network. Those
are represented by ``vmnet_hostonly`` and ``vmnet_nat``.

To retrieve the vnet-name (e.g. useful in VMX config files), use the
following:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vmnet_nat
    >>> print vmnet_nat.name
    vmnet8

There is a DHCP server running on both networks. To access the lease
information, use the following:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vmnet_nat
    >>> print vmnet_nat.leases
    {
        '00:50:56:00:23:40': '192.168.128.130'
        '00:50:56:00:19:12': '192.168.128.129'
        '00:50:56:00:46:93': '192.168.128.136'
    }

The dhcp server stores lease information in a file on disk. The data in
the leases dictionary is read-only and not automatically updated. To
reload the latest data from the file, use the ``reload()`` method:

::

    vmnet_nat.leases.reload()

Custom tool locations
=====================

The ``vmrun`` and ``vdiskmanager`` use the default location at
``/Applications/VMware Fusion.app``. This can be changed by
instantiating a custom \_cli object.

vmrun at a custom location:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vmrun_cli
    >>> vmrun_custom = vmrun_cli( '/Volumes/External/Applications/VMware Fusion.app'  )

Same goes with vdiskmanager:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vdiskmanager_cli
    >>> vdiskmanager_custom = vdiskmanager_cli( '/Volumes/External/Applications/VMware Fusion.app'  )

To create a custom vmnet, use ``vnet_cli``:

::

    >>> from vmfusion import vnet_cli
    >>> vmnet_custom = vnet_cli( 'vmnet6' )
    >>> print vmnet_custom.name
    vmnet6
