VMware Host - Install Tools

Declaration

<AMVMWAREVM ACTIVITY="installtools" VMPATH="text" POWERONTIMEOUT="number" 
TIMEOUT="number" OPENVMTIMEOUT="number" HOSTTYPE="text" />

Description: Installs VMWare Tools, a suite of utilities that enhances virtual machine operations and improves virtual machine management.

Practical Usage

Used to install VMWare Tools. The VMware Tools package provides support required for shared folders, synchronization of time in the guest operating system with time on the host, copying and pasting between guest and host and other performance improvements.

Connection Parameters

Property

Type

Required

Default

Markup

Description

Connection

 

 

 

 

Indicates where this activity's connection properties should originate from. Different parameters become active depending on the option selected. This is a visual parameter used only during design-time, therefore, contains no properties or markups. The available options are:

  • Host (Default) - A custom set of credentials will be entered for this activity. This option is normally selected if only a single activity is needed to perform an operation.

  • Session - Credentials derive from a session created in a previous step with the use of the Connect activity. This allows several activities to be linked to a single session, eliminating redundancy. Multiple sessions can exist in a single task.

Session

Text

Yes if Connection set to Session

VMOpsSession1

SESSION="VMO101"

The name of a session (created in a previous step) in which to link this activity. This parameter is active only if the Connection parameter is set to Session.

Host type

Text (options)

Yes if Connection set to Host

VIServer

 

  1. HOSTTYPE="Server"

  2. HOSTTYPE="Workstation"

  3. HOSTTYPE="VIServer"

  4. HOSTTYPE="Player"

The type of VM host to establish a connection with. This parameter is active only if the Connection parameter is set to Host. The available options are:

  • VMware Server (1.0x)

  • VMware Workstation

  • VMware VI Server (ESX/ESXi, vCenter, VMware Server 2.0)(Default)

  • VMware Player

Host name

Text

Yes

(Empty)

SERVER="host.server.com"

The hostname or IP address of the computer where the virtual machine is located. This parameter is active only if the Host type parameter is set to VMware Server or VMware VI Server.

Username

Text

No

(Empty)

USERNAME="MsPacman"

The username identifying a valid user account on the machine. This parameter is active only if the Host type parameter is set to VMware Server or VMware VI Server.

Password

Text

No

(Empty)

PASSWORD="encrypted"

The password identifying a valid user account on the machine. This parameter is active only if the Host type parameter is set to VMware Server or VMware VI Server.

Connection Timeout (seconds)

Number

No

60

CONNECTIONTIMEOUT="20"

The maximum time out value in seconds that this activity should wait for a response from the host.

Virtual Machine

Property

Type

Required

Default

Markup

Description

Virtual Machine Path

Text

Yes

(Empty)

VMPATH="C:\Temp\Snapshot.vmx"

The absolute path of the virtual machine configuration (.vmx) file in which to install VMWare Tools on. This parameter varies by product platform. With ESX/ESXi hosts and VMware Server 2.0, use a URL of the form "https://<hostName>:<port>/sdk" where <hostName> is either the DNS name or IP address, and <port> might be optional; credentials are required even for connections made locally. With VMware Workstation, use undef to connect to the local host. With VMware Server 1.0.x, use a DNS name or IP address for remote connections, or the same as Workstation for local connections.

Power On Timeout (seconds)

Number

No

(Empty)

POWERONTIMEOUT="65"

The maximum time out value in seconds that this activity should wait for the specified Virtual Machine to power on.

Timeout (seconds)

Number

No

60

TIMEOUT="50"

The maximum time out value in seconds that this activity should wait for a response from the host.

Open VM Timeout (seconds)

Number

No

60

OPENVMTIMEOUT="40"

The maximum time period in seconds during which this activity must successfully connect to the specified VMware product or the task times out.

Description tab - A custom description can be provided on the Description tab to convey additional information or share special notes about a task step.

Error Causes tab - Specify how this step should behave upon the occurrence of an error. (Refer to Task Builder > Error Causes Tab for details.)

On Error tab - Specify what AWE should do if this step encounters an error as defined on the Error Causes tab. (Refer to Task Builder > On Error Tab for details.)

Example

The sample AML code below can be copied and pasted directly into the Steps panel of the Task Builder.

Description: Install VMware tools into virtual machine "F:\Virtual Machines\Windows 7 x86\Windows 7.vmx". VMware host type is "Player".

<AMVMWAREVM ACTIVITY="installtools" VMPATH="F:\Virtual Machines\
Windows 7 x86\Windows 7.vmx" 
HOSTTYPE="Player" />