diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown new file mode 100644 index 000000000..187828936 --- /dev/null +++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox.html.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,160 @@ +--- +layout: "docs" +--- + +# VirtualBox Builder + +Type: `virtualbox` + +The VirtualBox builder is able to create [VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/) +virtual machines and export them in the OVF format. + +The builder builds a virtual machine by creating a new virtual machine +from scratch, booting it, installing an OS, provisioning software within +the OS, then shutting it down. The result of the VirtualBox builder is a directory +containing all the files necessary to run the virtual machine portably. + +## Basic Example + +Here is a basic example. This example is not functional. It will start the +OS installer but then fail because we don't provide the preseed file for +Ubuntu to self-install. Still, the example serves to show the basic configuration: + +
+{
+ "type": "virtualbox",
+ "guest_os_type": "Ubuntu_64",
+ "iso_url": "http://releases.ubuntu.com/12.04/ubuntu-12.04.2-server-amd64.iso",
+ "iso_md5": "af5f788aee1b32c4b2634734309cc9e9",
+ "ssh_username": "packer",
+ "ssh_wait_timeout": "30s"
+}
+
+
+## Configuration Reference
+
+There are many configuration options available for the VirtualBox builder.
+They are organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within
+each category, the available options are alphabetized and described.
+
+Required:
+
+* `iso_md5` (string) - The MD5 checksum for the OS ISO file. Because ISO
+ files are so large, this is required and Packer will verify it prior
+ to booting a virtual machine with the ISO attached.
+
+* `iso_url` (string) - A URL to the ISO containing the installation image.
+ This URL can be either an HTTP URL or a file URL (or path to a file).
+ If this is an HTTP URL, Packer will download it and cache it between
+ runs.
+
+* `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use to SSH into the machine
+ once the OS is installed.
+
+Optional:
+
+* `boot_command` (array of strings) - This is an array of commands to type
+ when the virtual machine is firsted booted. The goal of these commands should
+ be to type just enough to initialize the operating system installer. Special
+ keys can be typed as well, and are covered in the section below on the boot
+ command. If this is not specified, it is assumed the installer will start
+ itself.
+
+* `boot_wait` (string) - The time to wait after booting the initial virtual
+ machine before typing the `boot_command`. The value of this should be
+ a duration. Examples are "5s" and "1m30s" which will cause Packer to wait
+ five seconds and one minute 30 seconds, respectively. If this isn't specified,
+ the default is 10 seconds.
+
+* `guest_os_type` (string) - The guest OS type being installed. By default
+ this is "other", but you can get _dramatic_ performance improvements by
+ setting this to the proper value. To view all available values for this
+ run `VBoxManage list ostypes`. Setting the correct value hints to VirtualBox
+ how to optimize the virtual hardware to work best with that operating
+ system.
+
+* `http_directory` (string) - Path to a directory to serve using an HTTP
+ server. The files in this directory will be available over HTTP that will
+ be requestable from the virtual machine. This is useful for hosting
+ kickstart files and so on. By default this is "", which means no HTTP
+ server will be started. The address and port of the HTTP server will be
+ available as variables in `boot_command`. This is covered in more detail
+ below.
+
+* `http_port_min` and `http_port_max` (int) - These are the minimum and
+ maximum port to use for the HTTP server started to serve the `http_directory`.
+ Because Packer often runs in parallel, Packer will choose a randomly available
+ port in this range to run the HTTP server. If you want to force the HTTP
+ server to be on one port, make this minimum and maximum port the same.
+ By default the values are 8000 and 9000, respectively.
+
+* `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
+ resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
+ If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`
+ is executed. By default this is "virtualbox". This directory must not exist
+ or be empty prior to running the builder.
+
+* `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down
+ the machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty
+ string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine.
+
+* `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing
+ the `shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down.
+ If it doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout
+ is "5m", or five minutes.
+
+* `ssh_host_port_min` and `ssh_host_port_max` (uint) - The minimum and
+ maximum port to use for the SSH port on the host machine which is forwarded
+ to the SSH port on the guest machine. Because Packer often runs in parallel,
+ Packer will choose a randomly available port in this range to use as the
+ host port.
+
+* `ssh_password` (string) - The password for `ssh_username` to use to
+ authenticate with SSH. By default this is the empty string.
+
+* `ssh_wait_timeout` (string) - The duration to wait for SSH to become
+ available. By default this is "20m", or 20 minutes. Note that this should
+ be quite long since the timer begins as soon as virtual machine is booted.
+
+* `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual
+ machine, without the file extension. By default this is "packer".
+
+## Boot Command
+
+The `boot_command` configuration is very important: it specifies the keys
+to type when the virtual machine is first booted in order to start the
+OS installer. This command is typed after `boot_wait`, which gives the
+virtual machine some time to actually load the ISO.
+
+As documented above, the `boot_command` is an array of strings. The
+strings are all typed in sequence. It is an array only to improve readability
+within the template.
+
+The boot command is "typed" character for character over a VNC connection
+to the machine, simulating a human actually typing the keyboard. There are
+a set of special keys available. If these are in your boot command, they
+will be replaced by the proper key:
+
+* `
+[
+ "<esc><esc><enter><wait>",
+ "/install/vmlinuz noapic ",
+ "preseed/url=http://{{ .HTTPIP }}:{{ .HTTPPort }}/preseed.cfg ",
+ "debian-installer=en_US auto locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us ",
+ "hostname={{ .Name }} ",
+ "fb=false debconf/frontend=noninteractive ",
+ "keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA ",
+ "keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false ",
+ "initrd=/install/initrd.gz -- "
+]
+
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