Autolaunch Guest When Opening Virtual Box

[mille1j]

I only have one guest setup in Virtual box. Yet, when i open the virtual box app, it takes me to the main screen where I have to choose start.

YES! I want to start it, that's why I opened the app!

Is it possible to configure virtual box so that with one click you can have your guest launch instead of clicking on virtual box, then when the app opens, clicking start for the guest? I know, its just an extra click, but I hate it. Especially for 14 users doing it many times per day.

[loukingjr]

See this post: VirtualBox Menulet

basically what it does is create a menu in the menu bar that lets you directly launch a guest whether you have one or a hundred guests.

[socratis]

Or, you can right-click on the VM, choose 'Create Alias on Desktop'. You can move the alias to wherever you want (e.g. Documents). You can even drag it to the Dock and launch the client directly from there, without ever launching the VirtualBox Manager.

[mille1j]

PERFECT! Thanks for the tip!

[loukingjr]

Or, you can right-click on the VM, choose 'Create Alias on Desktop'. You can move the alias to wherever you want (e.g. Documents). You can even drag it to the Dock and launch the client directly from there, without ever launching the VirtualBox Manager.

That doesn't actually work on OSX 10.10.1 or with VB 4.3.21. I forget when it stopped working but it was awhile ago. I remember asking Perryg about it. I can't dbl-click on the .vbox files to start guests.

[Perryg]

Dbl clicking the *.vbox file and create a shortcut are two different things. Not sure about Mac of course, but it should create a shortcut that starts the guest.

Here are the properties of the command for the shortcut. Notice it uses the UUID instead of the actual name.

Code: Select all

/opt/VirtualBox/VirtualBox --comment "Ubuntu-Server" --startvm "6b23480d-0c3a-4ee3-92a7-8ac35c34de1f"

Of course the /opt/VirtualBox in my install will be different than yours because I build my own version with special settings and locations. It just needs the absolute path to VirtualBox.

[loukingjr]

when it creates an alias it points to the .vbox file. neither works. the alias also doesn't have an icon unlike when I create aliases of normal Mac programs. It might have been as long ago as OSX 10.9 and I forget which version of VB. It's been months.

[socratis]

That doesn't actually work on OSX 10.10.1 or with VB 4.3.21.

Really?!? Have you been able to narrow it down to which is to blame, OSX or VBox? Do aliases work for other type of documents? Because on 10.6.8 with VB 4.3.20 it works as described, both by dbl-clicking the alias and by dragging the alias to the Dock and single-clicking there.

[loukingjr]

That doesn't actually work on OSX 10.10.1 or with VB 4.3.21.

Really?!? Have you been able to narrow it down to which is to blame, OSX or VBox? Do aliases work for other type of documents? Because on 10.6.8 with VB 4.3.20 it works as described, both by dbl-clicking the alias and by dragging the alias to the Dock and single-clicking there.

see my post above.

[loukingjr]

well it works in OSX 10.9 w/VB 4.3.20 so I guess I will fallback to VB 4.3.20 on OSX 10.10 and see.

[loukingjr]

ugh. It seems there is some problem with my VirtualBox install on just one of the machines. I thought it might be a third party app causing the problem but I can't imagine it only affects VirtualBox aliases.

I created aliases on a second OSX 10.10.1 machine with both 4.3.18 and 4.3.20. One difference is the one that works is using the default location for machines. The one that doesn't work is using a different location. Perhaps there was a regression somewhere along the line if you had changed the default location. beats me.

[ChipMcK]

Works just fine on my Yosemite.1 and VB 4.3.20

[loukingjr]

Works just fine on my Yosemite.1 and VB 4.3.20

Do you mean changing the default location works fine? I can't imagine what else it could be. I could completely uninstall VB including the files the uninstall tool leaves behind I suppose.

[ChipMcK]

Works just fine on my Yosemite.1 and VB 4.3.20

Do you mean changing the default locati works fine? I can't imagine what else it could be. I could completely uninstall VB including the files the uninstall tool leaves behind I suppose.

My default is set to a folder of a volume of an external drive.

1. In VB manager Right-Click and select Create Alias on Desktop OR
2. Right-Click on .vbox file, select Make Alias and move that to the Desktop

[loukingjr]

Thanks Chip but I know how to create an alias. I found the problem, I just don't know how to fix it. the .vbox files are supposed to open with vmstarter which is inside the VirtualBox package. Somehow they were changed to start with TextEdit and I don't know how to change them back. If I right click on them to select a program to open them with I can't select vmstarter because it's inside the VirtualBox package.

edit: I worded that badly. I can set each individually but I can't set all .vbox files to "Always open with"