From e88c1542e50f89d056d02e5edebedc5574aebb76 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Steven Samuel Cole <steven.samuel.cole@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2016 23:51:34 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] extend export_opts documentation, add sample code (#3746)

---
 .../docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md      | 40 ++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 38 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
index 0e53b0316..fdf086656 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/builders/virtualbox-ovf.html.md
@@ -83,8 +83,44 @@ builder.
     specified, the default is 10 seconds.
 
 -   `export_opts` (array of strings) - Additional options to pass to the
-    `VBoxManage export`. This can be useful for passing product information to
-    include in the resulting appliance file.
+    [VBoxManage export](https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html#vboxmanage-export).
+    This can be useful for passing product information to include in the
+    resulting appliance file. Packer JSON configuration file example:
+
+    ``` {.json}
+    {
+      "type": "virtualbox-ovf",
+      "export_opts":
+      [
+        "--manifest",
+        "--vsys", "0",
+        "--description", "{{user `vm_description`}}",
+        "--version", "{{user `vm_version`}}"
+      ],
+      "format": "ova",
+    }
+    ```
+
+    A VirtualBox [VM description](https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html#idm3756)
+    may contain arbitrary strings; the GUI interprets HTML formatting.
+    However, the JSON format does not allow arbitrary newlines within a
+    value. Add a multi-line description by preparing the string in the
+    shell before the packer call like this (shell `>` continuation
+    character snipped for easier copy & paste):
+
+    ``` {.shell}
+
+    vm_description='some
+    multiline
+    description'
+
+    vm_version='0.2.0'
+
+    packer build \
+        -var "vm_description=${vm_description}" \
+        -var "vm_version=${vm_version}"         \
+        "packer_conf.json"
+    ```
 
 -   `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy
     disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful for