Control VirtualBox from terminal command line: VirtualBox CLI shortcuts script (set alias vm='vm.sh')

vm.sh

#!/usr/bin/env sh
DEFAULT_VM=your_default_vm_name    # fill it yourself
SSH_USERNAME=your_username_to_ssh  # fill it yourself
VM_PROPERTY_IP=/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/1/V4/IP
VM_PROPERTY_OS=/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Product

function print_usage() {
	echo "  vm -h|--help            -- display this help message"
	echo "  vm on|off [VM]          -- turn on/off VM"
	echo "  vm ssh [VM]             -- ssh to VM"
	echo "  vm ip [VM]              -- show the IP address of VM ssh uses"
	echo "  vm os [VM]              -- show the operating system type of VM"
	echo "  vm list|ls -r|--running -- list running VM(s)"
	echo "  vm list|ls -a|--all     -- list all VM(s)"
	echo "  default VM name: $DEFAULT_VM"
}

function print_list_usage() {
	echo "-r|--running -- list running VMs"
	echo "-a|--all     -- list all VMs"
}

case "$1" in
"on") 
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		VM=$DEFAULT_VM
		echo "Starting '$VM' .."
		echo "use 'vm ssh $VM' to connect via SSH"
	else
		VM=$2
	fi
	VBoxManage startvm "$VM" --type headless &> /dev/null
	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
		echo "Error. Use 'vm list --all' to verify '$VM' exists."
		echo "    or use 'vm list --running' to see if '$VM' is already running."
		exit 1
	fi
	sleep 7
	;;
"off")
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		VM=$DEFAULT_VM
	else
		VM=$2
	fi
	VBoxManage controlvm "$VM" poweroff 2> /dev/null
	if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
		echo "$VM shutdown successful."
	else
		echo "Error. Use 'vm list --running' to verify '$VM' is indeed running."
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
"ssh")
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		VM=$DEFAULT_VM
		echo "ssh to '$VM'"
	else
		VM=$2
	fi
	IP_MESSAGE=$(VBoxManage guestproperty get $VM $VM_PROPERTY_IP 2> /dev/null)
	if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
		ssh $SSH_USERNAME@$(echo $IP_MESSAGE | cut -d' ' -f 2)
	else
		echo "Error. Use 'vm list --all' to verify '$VM' exists."
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
"ip")
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		VM=$DEFAULT_VM
	else
		VM=$2
	fi
	IP_MESSAGE=$(VBoxManage guestproperty get $VM $VM_PROPERTY_IP 2> /dev/null)
	if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
		echo $IP_MESSAGE | cut -d' ' -f 2
	else
		echo "Error. Use 'vm list --all' to verify '$VM' exists."
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
"os")
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		VM=$DEFAULT_VM
	else
		VM=$2
	fi
	OS_MESSAGE=$(VBoxManage guestproperty get $VM $VM_PROPERTY_OS 2> /dev/null)
	if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
		echo $OS_MESSAGE | cut -d' ' -f 2
	else
		echo "Error. Use 'vm list --all' to verify '$VM' exists."
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
"list" | "ls")
	if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
		echo "One option needed for subcommand 'list'"
		print_list_usage
		exit 1
	elif [ "$2" = "-r" ] || [ "$2" = "--running" ]; then
		VBoxManage list runningvms | cut -d \{ -f 1
	elif [ "$2" = "-a" ] || [ "$2" = "--all" ]; then
		VBoxManage list vms | cut -d \{ -f 1
	else
		echo "Wrong option"
		print_list_usage
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
*)
	if [ "$1" = "-h" ] || [ "$1" = "--help" ]; then
		echo "VirtualBox CLI shorcuts."
		print_usage
	else
		echo "Wrong command."
		print_usage
		exit 1
	fi
	;;
esac