Name

Description

HRESULT
RunProgramInGuest([in] BSTR guestProgramName,
                  [in] BSTR commandLineArgs,
                  [in] LONG options,
                  [in] IVixHandle* propertyList,
                  [in] ICallback* jobDoneCallback,
                  [out,retval] IJob** runJob);

This function runs a program in the guest operating system. The program must be stored on a file system available to the guest before calling this function.

Parameters

guestProgramName

The path name of an executable file on the guest operating system.

commandLineArgs

A string to be passed as command line arguments to the executable identified by guestProgramName.

options

Run options for the program. See the remarks below.

propertyListHandle

Must be NULL (C++), null (C#), or Nothing (VB).

jobDoneCallback

An ICallback instance that will be called when the operation is complete.

runJob

Returns an IJob object that describes the state of this asynchronous operation.

Return Value

Remarks

• This function runs a program in the guest operating system. The program must be stored on a file system available to the guest before calling this function.
• The current working directory for the program in the guest is not defined. Absolute paths should be used for files in the guest, including guestProgramName and any command-line arguments.
• You must call VM::LoginInGuest() before calling this function.
• If the program to run in the guest is intended to be visible to the user in the guest, such as an application with a graphical user interface, you must call VM::LoginInGuest() with VixCOM.Constants.VIX_CONSOLE_USER_NAME as the userName and NULL (C++), null (C#), or Empty (VB). as the password before calling this function. This will ensure that the program is run within a graphical session that is visible to the user.
• If the options parameter is 0, this function will report completion to the job handle when the program exits in the guest operating system. Alternatively, you can pass VixCOM.Constants.VIX_RUNPROGRAM_RETURN_IMMEDIATELY as the value of the options parameter, and this function as soon as the program starts in the guest.
• For Windows guest operating systems, when runing a program with a graphical user interface, you can pass VixCOM.Constants.VIX_RUNPROGRAM_ACTIVATE_WINDOW as the value of the options parameter. This option will ensure that the application's window is visible and not minimized on the guest's screen. This can be combined with the VixCOM.Constants.VIX_RUNPROGRAM_RETURN_IMMEDIATELY flag using the bitwise inclusive OR operator (|). VixCOM.Constants.VIX_RUNPROGRAM_ACTIVATE_WINDOW has no effect on Linux guest operating systems.

Side Effects

Requirements

Example

Dim lib
Dim host
Dim job
Dim vm
Dim result

Set lib = CreateObject("VixCOM.VixLib")

' Connect to the local installation of Workstation. This also intializes the VIX API.
Set job = lib.Connect(VixCOM.Constants.VIX_API_VERSION, VixCOM.Constants.VIX_SERVICEPROVIDER_VMWARE_WORKSTATION, Empty, 0, Empty, Empty, 0, Nothing, Nothing)

' results needs to be initialized before it's used, even if it's just going to be overwritten.
Set results = Nothing

' Wait waits until the job started by an asynchronous function call has finished. It also
' can be used to get various properties from the job. The first argument is an array
' of VIX property IDs that specify the properties requested. When Wait returns, the 
' second argument will be set to an array that holds the values for those properties,
' one for each ID requested.
err = job.Wait(Array(VixCOM.Constants.VIX_PROPERTY_JOB_RESULT_HANDLE), results)
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

' The job result handle will be first element in the results array.
Set host = results(0)

' Open the virtual machine with the given .vmx file.
Set job = host.OpenVM("c:\Virtual Machines\vm1\win2000.vmx", Nothing)
err = job.Wait(Array(VixCOM.Constants.VIX_PROPERTY_JOB_RESULT_HANDLE), results)
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

Set vm = results(0)

' Power on the virtual machine we just opened. This will launch Workstation if it hasn't
' already been started.
Set job = vm.PowerOn(VixCOM.Constants.VIX_VMPOWEROP_LAUNCH_GUI, Nothing, Nothing)
' WaitWithoutResults is just like Wait, except it does not get any properties. 
err = job.WaitWithoutResults()
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

' Wait until VMware Tools are running within the guest, with a 300 second timeout.
Set job = vm.WaitForToolsInGuest(300, Nothing)
err = job.WaitWithoutResults()
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

Set job = vm.LoginInGuest("vixuser", "secret", 0, Nothing)
err = job.WaitWithoutResults()
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

Set job = vm.RunProgramInGuest("c:\myProgram.exe", "/flag arg1 arg2", 0, Nothing, Nothing)
err = job.WaitWithoutResults()
If lib.ErrorIndicatesFailure(err) Then
   ' Handle the error...
End If

host.Disconnect()