Creates a VirtualBox VM with the given name and installer ISO.

makevm.sh

#!/bin/bash
base="/path/to/vm/directory"
bridge_interface="eno2" # network interface to bridge the VM to
diskMB=50000

# a few sanity checks
if [ -z "$1" ]; then
	echo "usage: makevm.sh <vm name> <path for installer ISO file>"
	exit 1
fi
if ! [ -e "$2" ]; then
	echo "usage: makevm.sh <vm name> <path for installer ISO>"
	exit 1
fi

#expand relative paths
ospath="$(readlink -f "$2")"

# make the vm. pretty straightforward
vboxmanage createvm --name $1 --basefolder $base --register
cd "$base/$1"
vboxmanage createmedium disk --filename boot.vdi --size $diskMB --format vdi

# attach storage
vboxmanage storagectl $1 --name idec --add ide
vboxmanage storagectl $1 --name satac --add sata --hostiocache on

vboxmanage storageattach $1 --storagectl idec --port 0 --device 0 --type dvddrive --medium "$ospath"
vboxmanage storageattach $1 --storagectl satac --port 0 --device 0 --type hdd --medium boot.vdi

printf "VM $1 created, please enter a VRDE port to connect to the VM's video output. The VM will boot after this step.\n\nvrde port: "
read -r port
printf "how many megabytes of memory should this vm have?\nmegabytes: "
read -r mb
vboxmanage list ostypes
printf "\nwhat is the os type of this vm?"
read -r os

##set port and a few other misc configurations
vboxmanage modifyvm $1 --memory $mb --nic1 bridged --ioapic on --bridgeadapter1 $bridge_interface --cableconnected1 on --vrde on --vrdeport $port --boot1 dvd --boot2 disk --audio none --usb off --usbehci on --usbxhci on
vboxmanage modifyvm $1 --ostype $os

##start vm
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
	vboxheadless -s $1
else
	echo "there was an error modifying the vm properties. please delete this vm and try again"
fi

vboxmanage modifyvm $1 --boot1 disk --boot2 dvd