Sorry if this has already been requested, but I didn't see a relevant post.
I would like the ability to create templates for my own use. Not only for making individualized icons, but for setting defaults for, say, Slackware, Mint, LFS and other non-included flavors and their variants. This could be accomplished with a UI option, or a change in the code to move the templates into an editable file so that template changes don't require recompiling the entire host.
Thanks, and please ignore if this has already been asked.
User-definable templates
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Re: User-definable templates
What settings would you have in mind? I can tell you what the templates do on-the-surface right now, there are tweaks in the run-time code as well. Here are the basic categories:ltwilliams58 wrote:but for setting defaults for, say, Slackware, Mint, LFS and other non-included flavors and their variants
- Fam.
- Family
- Name
- Full Name
- VBOXOSTYPE
- RAM
- VRAM
- HD
- NetworkAdapterType
- HDStorageControllerType
- HDStorageBus
- DVDStorageControllerType
- DVDStorageBus
- ChipsetType
- AudioControllerType
- AudioCodecType
- 64BIT
- PAE
- HWVIRTEX
- IOAPIC
- RTCUTC
- USBTABLET
- FLOPPY
- NOUSB
- TFRESET
- EFI
- USBHID
- HPET
- USB3
- X2APIC
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Re: User-definable templates
While this has been requested repeatedly it's a useful one and it will happen eventually. If only it were just as much work as most people seem to think
It will need (to some extent, which makes it more difficult to design) separating the templates from the "hard fact" parts of a guest OS type, making a specific guest OS work well. Some power users might want to modify the disk and RAM size defaults to simplify their frequent creation of a certain VM to match their preferences.
It will need (to some extent, which makes it more difficult to design) separating the templates from the "hard fact" parts of a guest OS type, making a specific guest OS work well. Some power users might want to modify the disk and RAM size defaults to simplify their frequent creation of a certain VM to match their preferences.
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Re: User-definable templates
There are several parameters in that list that I would like to customize, even within the presets for various OS types, as sort-of new defaults, such as RAM, VRAM, NetworkAdaptorType, erc. But my desire would be to allow custom icons and custom and editable OS type names so that I can get more granular and unique with each guest. FerenOS, for example, is (currently) a derivative of LinuxMint, which is (currently) a derivative of Ubuntu, which is (currently) a derivative of Debian. I would like to set a custom OS type for FerenOS, and have the ability to alter the default types when things like derivatives or system requirements change. Sanity code could be employed to prevent a user from setting incompatible or out-of-range parameters.socratis wrote:What settings would you have in mind? I can tell you what the templates do on-the-surface right now, there are tweaks in the run-time code as well. Here are the basic categories:
Tweaking run-time code would work in the interim, though, and I appreciate your input on that.
Larry
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Re: User-definable templates
That's the thing, when people talk about "custom templates" it mostly boils down to 1) custom icon, 2) custom name, mainly from the FOSS distros so that they can be easier distinguished from the rest of the bunch and say "Hey, we're supported in VirtualBox!". The rest of the parameters are pretty much non-essential to the "custom templates" movement. The funny thing? Those are the two most "useless" features for having a client working, they are just for showltwilliams58 wrote:But my desire would be to allow custom icons and custom and editable OS type names
Case in point: do you see a Mint custom icon and name? One of the most used distros over time doesn't have its own icon/name. Why? Not really needed. Mint clearly states and follows Ubuntu, it's not like the Ubuntu-Debian relationship, once joined in the hip now several generations apart.
Parameters that would allow a guest to boot or not? To install or not? To have networking or not? Because if you're thinking "I'm going to increase the template RAM to 8 GB because I can afford it/works better in my system", that shouldn't be the criterion. The criteria should be such that are allow a guest to boot successfully and have networking out of the box. That's pretty much it. Customization and enhanced performance should not be part of the template IMHO; the minimum requirements should be.ltwilliams58 wrote:There are several parameters in that list that I would like to customize, even within the presets for various OS types, as sort-of new defaults, such as RAM, VRAM, NetworkAdaptorType, erc.
PS. You can already have a custom icon for a VM that you distribute, just use the command:
VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM_name>" --iconfile "<Full_path_to_less_than_256KB_PNG>"
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Re: User-definable templates
In this particular instance, there is talk of Mint changing its base OS, and flavors such as Manjaro have already changed the base OS, but that change isn't reflected in VBox. Yet. I hope that such migrations are addressed and updates provided.socratis wrote:Case in point: do you see a Mint custom icon and name? One of the most used distros over time doesn't have its own icon/name. Why? Not really needed. Mint clearly states and follows Ubuntu, it's not like the Ubuntu-Debian relationship, once joined in the hip now several generations apart.
Opinion noted. I respectfully disagree. I believe it should be up to the end user to make their own customizations, and it would be nice if Oracle dropped in some sanity code to keep the changes within reasonsocratis wrote:Parameters that would allow a guest to boot or not? To install or not? To have networking or not? Because if you're thinking "I'm going to increase the template RAM to 8 GB because I can afford it/works better in my system", that shouldn't be the criterion. The criteria should be such that are allow a guest to boot successfully and have networking out of the box. That's pretty much it. Customization and enhanced performance should not be part of the template IMHO; the minimum requirements should be.
Thank you for that. I will have to check the documentation to see what other holes I can jam my fingers.socratis wrote:PS. You can already have a custom icon for a VM that you distribute, just use the command:
VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM_name>" --iconfile "<Full_path_to_less_than_256KB_PNG>"
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Re: User-definable templates
And why would VirtualBox care? I'm providing the hardware. I couldn't care less about the kernel type and/or the update mechanism, let alone the iconltwilliams58 wrote:there is talk of Mint changing its base OS, and flavors such as Manjaro have already changed the base OS
There are 29 categories in the "Linux" family, mostly for show. All of them could be consolidated down to:
- RAM : Between 64 (Linux 2.2) and 1024 (the newest ones). A 1024 MB would cover everything.
- VRAM : 4 (Linux 2.2), 16 the rest. A 16 MB value would cover everything.
- DVD: IDE/PIIX4. Linux has issues with SATA DVDs.
- HD: IDE/PIIX4 (Linux 2.2/2.4, Other), SATA/AHCI the rest.
- Audio: AC97/STAC9700 (Other 64-bit), AC97/AD1980 the rest.
- Network: Am79C973 (Linux 2.2/2.4, Other 32-bit) I82540EM the rest.
- Linux 2.2/2.4/Other.
- The rest...
How exactly would it be reflected? Which part of VirtualBox would care specifically about the underlying mechanism that an OS relies upon? Would Acer/Apple/Dell/HP/Lenovo change their offerings based on that?ltwilliams58 wrote:but that change isn't reflected in VBox. Yet. I hope that such migrations are addressed and updates provided.
Couldn't agree more. Otherwise most VM settings would be disabled! The VM templates are suggestion/hints, about the minimum setup required to get you up and running, not your specific use case. That varies, and it varies a lot, hence the VM settings...ltwilliams58 wrote:I believe it should be up to the end user to make their own customizations, and it would be nice if Oracle dropped in some sanity code to keep the changes within reason
The bottom line is that even if custom templates are used, you'd somehow have to pass them on to the VirtualBox End-User. And other that each distro/app having a template that says:
I don't see a generally easily applied mechanism that's going to be distributed as default by VirtualBox.Hey, download this for a VirtualBox custom icon/name/RAM/Disk and add it to such-and-such a directory so that next time VirtualBox starts, they're read and applied
[1]: I'm oversimplifying a little bit here, leaving parameters which are not really crucial, like bitness, PAE, I/O APIC, X2APIC and PS/2 or USB mouse.
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