How to get VM path to .vmx file when you have the VM name?

[aceishigh]

Hi All,

I'm using the latest release of VIX API to power on VMs on an ESX server. I'm working with C# in Visual Studio 2012 and currently, I power on the VM using the following code:

VMWareVirtualMachine virtualClientMachine = host.Open(vmMachinePath, 2100);

While this works, I think it's better to instead be able to power on the VM when you know the VM name and not the path. So, how can I get the VM path to the vmx file when I know the name of the VM? For example, if my VM on the ESX server is called WIN7GERMAN, how do I then get the path and pass this to the host.Open function?

Thanks for any help or code.

John

[lemke · Accepted solution]

VM names are not unique, which is why this isn't supported.

You can use VixHost_FindItems() and search for the undocumented VIX_PROPERTY_FOUND_ITEM_NAME property and use the associated VIX_PROPERTY_FOUND_ITEM_LOCATION to get the value to pass to VixHost_OpenVM().  You'll have to deal with any duplicate names however

[aceishigh]

That's a pity. It's not ideal to pass paths each time I want to power on a VM but if that's the best way, then so be it.

Thanks for the helpful explanation.

John