VMware Workstation Web Control

This project provides a web-based interface for managing VMware Workstation virtual machines. It scans for VMX files, extracts VM details, and allows users to start or stop VMs from a browser.

I wrote this and then found that there is apparently something from VMware directly that I am sure must be better.. I will be checking into WSX:
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/310200/configuring-wsx-in-vmware-workstation.html Fun project nevertheless. Turns out that WSX was deprecated in Workstation 16.X and removed entirely from 17.X.

Features

• Automatic VM Discovery: Scans a specified folder for .vmx files.
• VM Details Extraction: Retrieves OS, CPU, RAM, disk size, and MAC address from VMX files.
• VM Control: Start and stop virtual machines using vmrun.
• Network Scanning: Uses nmap to detect active IP addresses in a subnet.
• Web UI: A Flask-powered web interface for managing VMs.

Screenshot

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• Flask (pip install flask)
• Nmap (sudo apt install nmap or brew install nmap on macOS)
• VMware Workstation (vmrun must be available in the system path)

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/davidabacon/vmware-web-control.git
cd vmware-web-control

Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Configuration

The base VM directory and network subnet are configurable:

• Base VM Directory: Change BASE_VM_DIR in app.py to match your VM storage path.
• Subnet for Scanning: Modify SUBNET in app.py to match your local network.
• Web Port: The web service runs on port 15000 by default.

Usage

Run the Application

python app.py

The web UI will be available at http://localhost:15000.

Start/Stop a VM

• Click the "Start" button to power on a VM.
• Click "Stop" to shut it down (soft stop by default, hard stop option available).

API Endpoints

Endpoint	Method	Description
/	GET	Web interface
/start_vm	POST	Start a VM (requires VMX file path)
/stop_vm	POST	Stop a VM (soft or hard stop)
/set_folder	POST	Change the base VM directory

Troubleshooting

• Missing VMs: Ensure BASE_VM_DIR is set correctly.
• VMs Not Starting: Check that vmrun is installed and in your PATH.
• Network Scan Not Working: Ensure nmap is installed and run with the necessary permissions.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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Contributors

• @davidabacon
• Contributions welcome! Feel free to submit pull requests.

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