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Docs: Multiple version of VMWare Player available for Linux.#3451

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akumria:vmware-player-notes
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Docs: Multiple version of VMWare Player available for Linux.#3451
akumria wants to merge 1 commit intohashicorp:masterfrom
akumria:vmware-player-notes

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@akumria
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@akumria akumria commented Apr 18, 2016

Add additional instruciton so that VMware Player can be properly used.

Version 7 and 12.

You might want to use 12 because it support newer operating systems and
has various bug fixed. Irrespective of the version you use, you will
need something to provide 'qemu-img' and 'vmrun'.

For qemu-img (used to convert between disk formats), it is available
as part of qemu-utils for Debian derivates and as qemu for Fedora/EL.

vmrun is part of the (deprecated) VIX API, link provided.

If you happen to use the newer VMware player, you will need to edit
some of the VIX API files so that it knows about the version on your
system.

Refs:

There are multiple version of VMWare Player available for Linux.

Version 7 and 12.

You might want to use 12 because it support newer operating systems and
has various bug fixed. Irrespective of the version you use, you will
need something to provide 'qemu-img' and 'vmrun'.

For 'qemu-img' (used to convert between disk formats), it is available
as part of 'qemu-utils' for Debian-systems and as 'qemu' for Fedora.

'vmrun' is part of the (deprecated) VIX API, link provided.

If you happen to use the newer VMware player, you will need to edit
some of the VIX API files so that it knows about the version on your
system.

Refs:
 - http://askubuntu.com/questions/342552/vmware-vix-vmrun-command-error-unable-to-connect-to-host-version-not-found
 - https://jdramer.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/using-vix-and-vmrun-with-vmplayer-5-0-0-on-linux/
 - http://www.wentztech.com/radio/Linux/files/vmrun.html
@rickard-von-essen rickard-von-essen changed the title There are multiple version of VMWare Player available for Linux. Docs: Multiple version of VMWare Player available for Linux. Apr 18, 2016
packer. You will also need the `qemu-img` command which is available in the `qemu-utils`
package on Debian-like systems and on Fedora-like systems in the `qemu` package.

Additionally you will need to the `vmrun` command, which is part of VMware Virtual
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need to the
I think this should be "need to install the". Also rather than

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actually should be 'need the', good spot though.

@cbednarski
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Thanks for the PR! I just tried this myself and it is indeed quite complicated. I left some feedback inline. Also, because this is about installing VMware on linux and not actually about using the VMware builder in packer, please move this to the bottom with the other sections like "Building on a Remote vSphere Hypervisor".


Unfortunately just installing the VMware player is not quite enough to be able to use
packer. You will also need the `qemu-img` command which is available in the `qemu-utils`
package on Debian-like systems and on Fedora-like systems in the `qemu` package.
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On ubuntu 16 I found it sufficient to install the qemu package, so the same instructions likely work for both RHEL and Debian-based distros. This may install some extra things but I think this is fine.

@SwampDragons
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I'm going to close this PR because it's nearly two years old and potentially stale. I feel like the player version is something that the user should understand independently of Packer, and to put this information in gives us the obligation of keeping it up to date, which I just don't see happening given that we didn't even merge the original change in two years. Thanks for opening though :)

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ghost commented Apr 2, 2020

I'm going to lock this issue because it has been closed for 30 days ⏳. This helps our maintainers find and focus on the active issues.

If you have found a problem that seems similar to this, please open a new issue and complete the issue template so we can capture all the details necessary to investigate further.

@ghost ghost locked and limited conversation to collaborators Apr 2, 2020
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