How to automate tasks in virtual machines

[kinook]

Some options:

1) Configure the guest OS to automatically logon and run a startup script (by creating a shortcut to a .cmd file in the user's Start Menu Startup folder), and start the virtual machine using one of the Virtual Machine actions (if necessary Wait for the %RUNPROGRAM_PROCESSID% process to complete). The startup script (a text file with a line like

start visbuildpro /b "c:\path\to\file.bld"

to initiate a VBP build) would install software, build projects, etc., and then shut down Windows via the Shut Down action.

2) Use the VisBuildPro Project (if VBP is installed in the VM) or Run Program actions to execute build scripts or batch files remotely on the virtual machine guest OS after starting it via one of the Virtual Machine actions.

3) For VMware Workstation or Virtual Server, use specific functions in the related actions (run program, send keys, etc.) to initiate a build on the virtual machine.