VMware Communities: getting custom variables ...

VMware

Up to Discussions in vSphere SDK for Perl

Sample Code
Tech Exchange

vSphere SDK for Perl:

This Question is Possibly Answered

1 "correct" answer available (10 pts) 1 "helpful" answer available (6 pts)

2 Replies Last post: Oct 9, 2009 2:10 PM by lamw

getting custom variables posted: Oct 9, 2009 1:36 AM

LarsOeschey

9 posts since
Oct 9, 2009

Hi,

we are trying to set up a backup environment, where I can set variables in vSphere if a VM should be backed up, and write back the date of the last backup. I've set up those variables invSphere (they show up as "remarks", translated from german), and my guess was that with the script VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\samples\vm\guestvars.pl I could get those variables. However, I don't get anything back... Is that script example intended to do that, or am I on a wrong path?

Lars

Tags: guestvars.pl

Re: getting custom variables

1. Oct 9, 2009 4:40 AM

in response to: LarsOeschey

LarsOeschey

9 posts since
Oct 9, 2009

digging a bit deeper... I examined the source code of guestvars.pl, and it seems the method for getting variables there is:

my $vm_view = Vim::find_entity_view(view_type => 'VirtualMachine',
filter => {$property_name => $property_value});

my $extraConfig = $vm_view->config->extraConfig;

so it looks to me, as extraConfig is fetched. Given that I get only empty values back, maybe this is the wrong place to grab. What I'm really missing though is, where are the available objects and methods documented? The API documentation for example doesn't know about find_entity_view->config->extraConfig. am I looking in the wrong place?

Lars

(there's no code formatting in this forum? Makes stuff hard readable i guess...)

Re: getting custom variables

2. Oct 9, 2009 2:10 PM

in response to: LarsOeschey

lamw

2,814 posts since
Nov 27, 2007

Take a look at this script: addVMCustomField.pl, if no data is returned, then the custom field is not set for a specific VM.

Regarding the API reference on properties/methods/etc. it's located at: http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-sdk/visdk400pubs/ReferenceGuide/index.html

=========================================================================
William Lam
VMware vExpert 2009
VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at: http://engineering.ucsb.edu/~duonglt/vmware/
vGhetto Script Repository
VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators
VMware Developer Comuunity
Twitter: @lamw

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".