Editing .VMX file through code

[RockyConcept]

Hi,

I am not sure VIX API is the right forum to ask this question. Since VIX API helps to do most of guest operations, I dare to ask here.

I work with VMware Workstation and I am looking for a programatic way to edit the .VMX file and do some chages.

I want to change the SnapshotAction, VM name, WorkingDir configuration by programatic way. Do VIX API will help me to do this or I need to use any other SDK. If possible, please direct me with sample.

Thanks in advance...

Rocky

[SoMoS]

As far as I know VIX does not provide methods to do that kind of operations. I've been using VIX for a while and I never saw something like that. You can check here the methods available:

http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vix-api/vix16_reference/

[tos2k]

Hi!

Why dont you open the vmx file, read it, change it, and write it back?

Tos2k

[verminator]

I suppose it depends. If the vmx file is hosted on an ESX server, I don't think you can directly open it for writing via C or Java I/O operation.

However, if the VM is on a local machine, and being run using VMWare workstation, or any local client, then its fairly trivial to open/read/write/close from your code via the I/O API of the language you're using.

[tos2k]

Yes, vmx files on ESX hosts can be dowloaded, opened, written, and uploaded back in general.

Of course, changes in vmx wont affect on ESX/vCenter before reregistration of VM.

Tos2k

[RockyConcept]

Thanks for your comments....

Yes, I understand that I can 'manually' download vmx,  edit it in notepad/wordpad and reregister it for effect. But my question is there any SDK or set of classes that I can use to edit the VMX file.

your comments would be really helpful.....Thanks in advance.....

[admin]

There is currently no API available for VMware Workstation to let you programmatically change those values.

[jose_maria_gonz]

Hi RockyConcept,

Have you tried with PowerShell? It is a quite nice way to script changes within your vms.

Jose Maria Gonzalez

Web: http://www.jmgvirtualconsulting.com

Blog: http://www.josemariagonzalez.es

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jose_m_gonzalez

Author of 101 Secretos de VMware vSphere

VCI, VCP4, VCP3, VCP2, RHCE, MCSE, vExpert 2009, 2010

[admin · Accepted solution]

I believe the original post was about Workstation.

If ESX/vSphere is an option, there are a number of APIs, including the PowerCLI, as well as vSphere SDKs for Perl and Java.