Python script to control Headless VirtualBox VMs

box.py

#!/usr/local/bin/python3.8

import argparse
import os
import re

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='vbox', description='CLI for VirtualBox DevBox.')
parser.add_argument('--box', nargs='?', const='FNB DevBox #3', default='DevBox', help='VM to start, eg: --box "DevBox"')
parser.add_argument('--start',  '--on', action='store_true', help='Start')
parser.add_argument('--pause', '-p', action='store_true', help='Pause')
parser.add_argument('--resume', '-r', action='store_true', help='Resume')
parser.add_argument('--poweroff', '--off', '--stop', action='store_true', help='Poweroff')
parser.add_argument('--status', action='store_true', help='Status')
args = parser.parse_args()

if args.start:
    os.system(f'VBoxManage startvm "{args.box}" --type headless')
    print(f'Started: {args.box}')
elif args.pause:
    os.system(f'VBoxManage controlvm "{args.box}" pause --type headless')
    print(f'Paused: {args.box}')
elif args.resume:
    os.system(f'VBoxManage controlvm "{args.box}" resume --type headless')
    print(f'Resumed: {args.box}')
elif args.poweroff:
    os.system(f'VBoxManage controlvm "{args.box}" poweroff --type headless')
    print(f'Stopped: {args.box}')
elif args.status:
    cmd = 'VBoxManage list vms -l | grep -e ^Name: -e ^State'
    vms = os.popen(cmd).read()
    vms = vms.strip()
    vms = vms.split('Name:')
    vms.pop(0)
    vmdata = ''

    for vm in vms:
        vm = vm.strip()

        if not re.search("^'", vm):
            vmdata += vm

    vms = vmdata.split(')')
    vms.pop()

    for vm in vms:
        vm = vm.split("\n")
        name = vm[0].strip()
        state = vm[1].strip()
        matches = re.findall("^State:\s+([\w\s]+) \(", state)
        state = matches[0]

        if name == args.box:
            print(f'{name}: {state}')
            break