[SOLVED] VBoxManage script runs manually but not from cron

[FuLl]

I originally asked this question on the VirtualBox forums [0], & was told to ask here since the VirtualBox version in the Linux Mint repos is forked & is not official. So here I am. Thanks in advance.

I'm on Linux Mint 18.3 with VirtualBox version 5.1.38_Ubuntu r122592.

I have the following in my user's crontab:

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0 12 * * 1 sh /home/user/Scripts/Show_Headless_VMName_UI_Now.sh

And this is the script it calls:

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#!/bin/bash
VBoxManage startvm /home/user/VM/VMName/ VMName --type=separate 
VBoxManage controlvm VMName setvideomodehint 1440 900 32

I'm able to run that script successfully from a KDE menu launcher, & manually in a console, each with this command:

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sh /home/user/Scripts/Show_Headless_VMName_UI_Now.sh

But from cron it fails somehow. Could use a hand.

[0]
https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=90748

[rene]

Your startvm line seems odd. I with VirtualBox 5.2.22 r126460 on Mint 19 need either

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VBoxManage startvm VMName --type=separate

or

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VBoxManage startvm ~/VirtualBox\ VMs/VMName/VMName.vbox --type=separate

When I from the command line or user crontab use your syntax,

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VBoxManage startvm /home/rene/VirtualBox\ VMs/VMName/ VMName --type=separate 

then VM "VMName" starts successfully but only as a result of the second, lone "VMName"; the first path parameter is also intepreted as a VM and gives the error message,

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VBoxManage: error: Could not find a registered machine named '/home/rene/VirtualBox VMs/VMName'
VBoxManage: error: Details: code VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80bb0001), component VirtualBoxWrap, interface IVirtualBox, callee nsISupports
VBoxManage: error: Context: "FindMachine(Bstr(pszVM).raw(), machine.asOutParam())" at line 595 of file VBoxManageMisc.cpp

It's sort of expected that you would've noticed if also for you so perhaps I'm looking at a version difference here, and the VM does as said start both from command line and cron, but what happens for you if you use just "VMName" or "/home/user/VM/VMName/VMName.vbox"? Generally speaking, I could imagine an environment difference leading to inability to locate ~/.config/VirtualBox and although that's apparently not in fact the case for me, maybe it still is for you on 18.3.

[EDIT] Oh, by the way, let me also immediately ask: your "VBoxManage" is in /usr/bin, right? If it's somewhere more original specify the complete path due to cron jobs having a minimal PATH; a minimal environment.

[FuLl]

let me also immediately ask: your "VBoxManage" is in /usr/bin, right? If it's somewhere more original specify the complete path due to cron jobs having a minimal PATH; a minimal environment.

Yes, it's at that path.

Your startvm line seems odd.

Thanks, this is what led me to a solution.

I first looked at 'startvm' in the official docs [0], & didn't see a reason why I had my syntax that way. Clearing that path information allowed it to work both from CLI & cron. This is my script now:

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#!/bin/bash
VBoxManage startvm VMName --type=separate
sleep 15
VBoxManage controlvm VMName setvideomodehint 1440 900 32

Note that I added the sleep in between there. This is because while that video mode would successfully apply itself when using that command to 'Show' a running headless VM, it would run too soon in cases where that command was starting a detachable VM. Thus 15 seconds added & now that part works.

Marking solved, thanks again rene!


[0]
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08. ... ge-startvm