Sun Microsystems VERSION 3.1.0_BETA2 user manual VBoxSDL, the simplified VM displayer

7 Alternative front-ends; remote virtual machines

$VBoxManage createvm --name "SUSE 10.2" --register VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.1.0

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Virtual machine ’SUSE 10.2’ is created. UUID: c89fc351-8ec6-4f02-a048-57f4d25288e5

Settings file: ’/home/username/.VirtualBox/Machines/SUSE 10.2/SUSE 10.2.xml’

As can be seen from the above output, a new virtual machine has been created with a new UUID and a new XML settings file.

•To show the configuration of a particular VM, use VBoxManage showvminfo; see chapter 8.2, VBoxManage showvminfo, page 112 for details and an example.

•To change VM settings, use VBoxManage modifyvm, e.g. as follows:

VBoxManage modifyvm "Windows XP" --memory "512MB"

For details, see chapter 8.5, VBoxManage modifyvm, page 114.

•To control VM operation, use one of the following:

–To start a VM that is currently powered off, use VBoxManage startvm; see chapter 8.8, VBoxManage startvm, page 120 for details.

–To pause or save a VM that is currently running, use VBoxManage controlvm; see chapter 8.9, VBoxManage controlvm, page 121 for details.

7.3 VBoxSDL, the simplified VM displayer

VBoxSDL is a simple graphical user interface (GUI) that lacks the nice point-and-click support which VirtualBox, our main GUI, provides. VBoxSDL is currently primarily used internally for debugging VirtualBox and therefore not officially supported. Still, you may find it useful for environments where the virtual machines are not necessarily controlled by the same person that uses the virtual machine.

As you can see in the following screenshot, VBoxSDL does indeed only provide a simple window that contains only the “pure” virtual machine, without menus or other controls to click upon and no additional indicators of virtual machine activity:

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