feat: add support for vmrest

.web-docs/components/builder/vmx/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 Type: `vmware-vmx`
 Artifact BuilderId: `mitchellh.vmware`
 If remote_type is esx: Artifact BuilderId: `mitchellh.vmware-esx`
+If remote_type is vmrest: Artifact BuilderId: `niwamo.vmware-vmrest`
 
 This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
 existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building
@@ -1065,12 +1066,18 @@ Ubuntu 12.04 installer:
 For more examples of various boot commands, see the sample projects from our
 [community templates page](/community-tools#templates).
 
-## Building on a Remote vSphere Hypervisor
+## Remote Builds
 
 In addition to using the desktop products of VMware locally to build virtual
 machines, Packer can use a remote VMware Hypervisor to build the virtual
 machine.
 
+Packer supports two remote build types: 
+ - ESXi 5.1 and above
+ - the VMware Workstation Pro API (tested on v1.3.1)
+
+### Building on a Remote vSphere Hypervisor
+
 -> **Note:** Packer supports ESXi 5.1 and above.
 
 Before using a remote vSphere Hypervisor, you need to enable GuestIPHack by
@@ -1083,7 +1090,8 @@ $ esxcli system settings advanced set -o /Net/GuestIPHack -i 1
 When using a remote VMware Hypervisor, the builder still downloads the ISO and
 various files locally, and uploads these to the remote machine. Packer currently
 uses SSH to communicate to the ESXi machine rather than the vSphere API.
-If you want to use vSphere API, see the [vsphere-iso](/packer/integrations/hashicorp/vsphere/latest/components/builder/vsphere-iso) builder.
+If you want to use vSphere API, see the
+[vsphere-iso](/packer/integrations/hashicorp/vsphere/latest/components/builder/vsphere-iso) builder.
 
 Packer also requires VNC to issue boot commands during a build, which may be
 disabled on some remote VMware Hypervisors. Please consult the appropriate
@@ -1132,7 +1140,65 @@ Since ovftool is only capable of password based authentication
 - `vnc_disable_password` - This must be set to "true" when using VNC with
 ESXi 6.5 or 6.7.
 
-### SSH key pair automation
+### Building with the VMware Workstation Pro API (vmrest)
+
+VMware Workstation Pro ships with a 'vmrest' executable enabling programmatic 
+access via a REST API. The API does not run automatically or as a service by 
+default. The API is also limited in its functionality and does not support:
+- the vmware-iso builder
+- creating new virtual machines "from scratch" (it does support cloning)
+- creating or modifying disks
+- installing VMware Tools
+- taking snapshots
+
+To use the VMware Workstation Pro API with the vmware-vmx builder:
+- Set the API credentials
+  - On Windows: `& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmrest.exe' -C`
+- Run the API executable
+  - On Windows: `& 'C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmrest.exe'`
+- Validate connectivity between the host running Packer and the API
+- Run Packer with a valid vmware-vmx configuration
+
+Required Configuration Parameters:
+
+- `remote_type` - This must be set to "vmrest".
+
+- `remote_username` - The username set for API authentication
+
+- `remote_password` - The password set for API authentication
+
+- `skip_export` - This must be set to `false`. The vmrest driver does not support 
+exports.
+
+Optional Configuration Parameters:
+
+- `remote_host` - The hostname or IP (preferred) of the machine running the API. 
+Defaults to "127.0.0.1" if not provided.
+
+- `remote_port` - The port the API is listening on. Defaults to "8697" if not 
+provided.
+
+Ignored Configuration Parameters:
+
+- All `remote_*` parameters not described in the previous two sections are ignored.
+
+- `output_directory`. VMware will place the cloned VM in the system's default VM
+location (typically `~/Documents/Virtual Machines`).
+
+- `keep_registered`. The driver will leave all VMs registered.
+
+- `linked`. The driver only supports 'full' clones.
+
+Unsupported Parameters:
+
+- All `tools_*` parameters (the API does not support installing VMware Tools)
+
+- `vnc_over_websocket` cannot be set to true.
+
+- `attach_snapshot` and `snapshot_name` - the API does not support snapshot 
+operations
+
+## SSH key pair automation
 
 The VMware builders can inject the current SSH key pair's public key into
 the template using the `SSHPublicKey` template engine. This is the SSH public

builder/vmware/common/artifact.go

@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// BuilderId for the local artifacts
-	BuilderId    = "mitchellh.vmware"
-	BuilderIdESX = "mitchellh.vmware-esx"
+	BuilderId       = "mitchellh.vmware"
+	BuilderIdESX    = "mitchellh.vmware-esx"
+	BuilderIdVMRest = "niwamo.vmware-vmrest"
 
 	ArtifactConfFormat         = "artifact.conf.format"
 	ArtifactConfKeepRegistered = "artifact.conf.keep_registered"
@@ -82,8 +83,11 @@ func NewArtifact(remoteType string, format string, exportOutputPath string, vmNa
 
 	// Set the proper builder ID
 	builderId := BuilderId
-	if remoteType != "" {
+	switch remoteType {
+	case "esx5":
 		builderId = BuilderIdESX
+	case "vmrest":
+		builderId = BuilderIdVMRest
 	}
 
 	config := make(map[string]string)

builder/vmware/common/driver.go

@@ -98,12 +98,20 @@ func NewDriver(dconfig *DriverConfig, config *SSHConfig, vmName string) (Driver,
 	var drivers []Driver
 
 	if dconfig.RemoteType != "" {
-		esx5Driver, err := NewESX5Driver(dconfig, config, vmName)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		switch dconfig.RemoteType {
+		case "esx5":
+			esx5Driver, err := NewESX5Driver(dconfig, config, vmName)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			drivers = []Driver{esx5Driver}
+		case "vmrest":
+			vmrestDriver, err := NewVMRestDriver(dconfig, config, vmName)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			drivers = []Driver{vmrestDriver}
 		}
-		drivers = []Driver{esx5Driver}
-
 	} else {
 		switch runtime.GOOS {
 		case "darwin":

builder/vmware/common/driver_config.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package common
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-sdk/template/interpolate"
@@ -63,31 +64,55 @@ func (c *DriverConfig) Prepare(ctx *interpolate.Context) []error {
 	if c.FusionAppPath == "" {
 		c.FusionAppPath = "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app"
 	}
-	if c.RemoteUser == "" {
-		c.RemoteUser = "root"
-	}
-	if c.RemoteDatastore == "" {
-		c.RemoteDatastore = "datastore1"
-	}
-	if c.RemoteCacheDatastore == "" {
-		c.RemoteCacheDatastore = c.RemoteDatastore
-	}
-	if c.RemoteCacheDirectory == "" {
-		c.RemoteCacheDirectory = "packer_cache"
-	}
-	if c.RemotePort == 0 {
-		c.RemotePort = 22
-	}
 
 	if c.RemoteType != "" {
-		if c.RemoteHost == "" {
+		if c.RemoteType != "esx5" && c.RemoteType != "vmrest" {
 			errs = append(errs,
-				fmt.Errorf("remote_host must be specified"))
+				fmt.Errorf("Only the values 'esx5' or 'vmrest' are accepted for remote_type"))
 		}
 
-		if c.RemoteType != "esx5" {
-			errs = append(errs,
-				fmt.Errorf("Only 'esx5' value is accepted for remote_type"))
+		if c.RemoteType == "esx5" {
+			// we should only set exs5-relevant default values if esx5 is selected
+			if c.RemoteHost == "" {
+				errs = append(errs,
+					fmt.Errorf("remote_host must be specified"))
+			}
+
+			if c.RemoteUser == "" {
+				c.RemoteUser = "root"
+			}
+			if c.RemoteDatastore == "" {
+				c.RemoteDatastore = "datastore1"
+			}
+			if c.RemoteCacheDatastore == "" {
+				c.RemoteCacheDatastore = c.RemoteDatastore
+			}
+			if c.RemoteCacheDirectory == "" {
+				c.RemoteCacheDirectory = "packer_cache"
+			}
+			if c.RemotePort == 0 {
+				c.RemotePort = 22
+			}
+		}
+
+		if c.RemoteType == "vmrest" {
+			if c.RemoteHost == "" {
+				log.Print("Warning: Remote host not set. Defaulting to localhost.")
+				c.RemoteHost = "127.0.0.1"
+			}
+
+			if c.RemotePort == 0 {
+				log.Print("Warning: Remote port not set. Defaulting to 8697.")
+				c.RemotePort = 8697
+			}
+
+			if c.RemoteUser == "" {
+				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("remote_username must be specified"))
+			}
+
+			if c.RemotePassword == "" {
+				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("remote_password must be specified"))
+			}
 		}
 	}
 

builder/vmware/common/driver_config_test.go

@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ func TestDriverConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
 			config: new(DriverConfig),
 			expectedConfig: &DriverConfig{
 				FusionAppPath:        "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app",
-				RemoteDatastore:      "datastore1",
-				RemoteCacheDatastore: "datastore1",
-				RemoteCacheDirectory: "packer_cache",
-				RemotePort:           22,
-				RemoteUser:           "root",
+				RemoteDatastore:      "",
+				RemoteCacheDatastore: "",
+				RemoteCacheDirectory: "",
+				RemotePort:           0,
+				RemoteUser:           "",
 			},
 			errs: nil,
 		},
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestDriverConfigPrepare(t *testing.T) {
 				RemoteHost: "host",
 			},
 			expectedConfig: nil,
-			errs:           []error{fmt.Errorf("Only 'esx5' value is accepted for remote_type")},
+			errs:           []error{fmt.Errorf("Only the values 'esx5' or 'vmrest' are accepted for remote_type")},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Remote host not set",