Announcement: VMware Scripts 1.0 is released!

[Chris Hallsworth]

Hello all,
Don has once again asked me to pass on the following announcement, which is
below. Enjoy, and happy virtuallization!
Hi Chris,

Here is a package I hope is about 95% finished! I added a lot of
functionality to Workstation to get information from the Summary dialogs
(Alt + S), and navigate around this multi-page Summary dialog. Move to the
list in the dialog with Alt + D. With several complex functions that the
user is unaware of, it is possible to Tab around this dialog and get to all
of the controls.

The tree view in the optional Sidebar is I think, the best way to check tree
status of all Virtual Machines. Again, there are a few functions that
automatically report the status as you arrow up and down in the tree view.

A few things I could not decide, since I am not a power user.
1. VMware normally does not place the focus anywhere in the application.
Where is the best place to force the application to focus? I started
writing a function, PlaceFocus, to determine which window was active and
place the focus in an appropriate place. After using the application a
little and attempting to magnify the screen enough to somewhat understand
the layout, I might want to change that concept. A simpler approach would
be to require that the Sidebar is enabled and place the focus on the Running
and Favorites tree view in the Sidebar. It currently forces this focus when
opening or switching to Workstation (AutoStartEvent) and when using Control
+ Tab (NexVMWindow) to switch between VM windows. What do you think?

2. In the VMware player, I added a script to start the selected VM in the
Recently Opened VM list when the Enter key is pressed. I have not decided
what action to take if the Enter key is pressed on a VM in the Running and
Favorites tree view. There is a script for the Enter key, SelectVM, that
can perform what we choose. It currently moves the focus to the Device
Details list view on the Summary dialog.

3. I have debug SayMessage statements that help locate an issue if one
arises. Most users should never be aware they are there. To make it easier
to enable when needed, i have added the required lines in the jCF file.
Since the JSX packager will not carry over comment lines whemn merging JCF
files. I needed another approach. There are two choices. I currently have
the Debug statements enabled when verbosity is set to Advanced. This of
course, might piss off people who normally have verbosity set to addvanced!
Anither option would be to have all 0's in the line below so that Debug
statements are disabled until you open the JCF file in an text editor and
change the appropriate 0 to a 1. Which do you think is best?

[OutputModes]
; Will speak all of the OT_DEBUG messages when in Advanced Verbosity
DEBUG=0|0|1|DEBUG Message

There are a few minor things I need to fix, such as not being able to get
back to the Summary dialog if you navigate to a optional Tab like "Package"
that does not have a list view. I have not added logic yet to catch every
strange situation such as the Sidebar not being present or in full screen.
These are not difficult, but the questions above need to be decided.

As usual. you or anyone else can get the latest (today) version at:
http://mysite.verizon.net/marangs/VMware.html

Feel free to spread the word and distribute our scripts when you think they
are ready. Pass back any changes, comments, bugs, suggestions and ideas. I
will do my best to work then into our package.

Perhaps I should staart misspelling a few key words to make it more UK
English? Like change "dialog" to "dialogue"?

--
Chris Hallsworth
E-mail: christo...@googlemail.com
MSN: ch9...@hotmail.com
Skype: chrishallsworth7266
Yahoo! Messenger: christo...@yahoo.com
Klango: chrishallsworth

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[Andrew Hodgson]

Hi,

Which VmWare products does this work with - i.e, Player, Workstation, or Workstation for Linux (which has a completely different interface to it).

I take it it is JFW scripts for VmWare Player, but am not sure from the description here.

Thanks.
Andrew.

[Rich Caloggero]

Yep, jfw scripts for both workstation and player I think.
-- Rich

[Chris Hallsworth]

These scripts are for both Player and Workstation. Since they're for JFW
it'll be the Windows equivalents.

--
Chris Hallsworth
E-mail: christo...@googlemail.com
MSN: ch9...@hotmail.com
Skype: chrishallsworth7266
Yahoo! Messenger: christo...@yahoo.com
Klango: chrishallsworth