Name

Description

$err = VMDelete($vmHandle,
                $deleteOptions);

This function permanently deletes a virtual machine from your host system.

Parameters

vmHandle

Identifies a virtual machine. Call VMOpen() to create a virtual machine handle.

deleteOptions

For VMware Server 2.0 and ESX, this value must be VIX_VMDELETE_DISK_FILES. For all other versions it can be either 0 or VIX_VMDELETE_DISK_FILES. When option is VIX_VMDELETE_DISK_FILES, deletes all associated files. When option is 0, does not delete *.vmdk virtual disk file(s).

Return Value

Remarks

• This function permanently deletes a virtual machine from your host system. You can accomplish the same effect by deleting all virtual machine files using the host file system. This function simplifies the task by deleting all VMware files in a single function call. If a deleteOptions value of 0 is specified, the virtual disk (vmdk) files will not be deleted. This function does not delete other user files in the virtual machine folder.
• This function is successful only if the virtual machine is powered off or suspended.
• Deleting a virtual machine that is the parent of a linked clone renders the linked clone useless.
• Calling VMDelete() on a virtual machine handle does not release the virtual machine handle. You still need to call ReleaseHandle() on the virtual machine handle.

Side Effects

Requirements

use VMware::Vix::Simple;
use VMware::Vix::API::Constants;

Example

my $err = VIX_OK;
my $hostHandle = VIX_INVALID_HANDLE;
my $vmHandle = VIX_INVALID_HANDLE;

($err, $hostHandle) = HostConnect(VIX_API_VERSION,
                                  VIX_SERVICEPROVIDER_VMWARE_WORKSTATION,
                                  undef, # hostName
                                  0, # hostPort
                                  undef, # userName
                                  undef, # password
                                  0, # options
                                  VIX_INVALID_HANDLE); # propertyListHandle

die "HostConnect() failed, $err ", GetErrorText($err), "\n" if $err != VIX_OK;

($err, $vmHandle) = VMOpen($hostHandle,
                           "c:\\Virtual Machines\\vm1\\win2000.vmx");
die "VMOpen() failed, $err ", GetErrorText($err), "\n" if $err != VIX_OK;
                       
$err = VMDelete($vmHandle, VIX_VMDELETE_DISK_FILES);
die "VMDelete() failed, $err ", GetErrorText($err), "\n" if $err != VIX_OK;