vSphere SDK for Perl Subroutine Reference

The vSphere SDK for Perl are available in three packages:

■	The Opts package includes subroutines for handling built-in options and creating custom options. See Subroutines in the Opts Package.

■	The Util package includes subroutines for facilitating routine tasks such as setting up and closing connections to the server. See Subroutines in the Util Package.

■	The Vim package includes subroutines for accessing server-side managed objects, instantiating local view objects, updating properties, and running local methods to run operations on remote servers.

Subroutines in the Opts Package 

Subroutine	Description
add_options	Enables custom options to be parsed and validated for execution in the context of the script to which the options have been added.
get_option	Retrieves the value of a specified built-in or custom option.
option_is_set	Checks whether an option has been explicitly set by a script or from the command line or whether the option has a default or computed value (that is, the return value of a func).
parse	Reads options from the command line, an environment variable, or a configuration file and transforms them into appropriate data structures for validation.
validate	Ensures that input values are complete, consistent, and valid.
usage	Displays a help text message.

Subroutines in the Vim Package 

Subroutine	Description
clear_session	Terminates the current session loaded by the load_session() subroutine.
find_entity_view	Searches the inventory tree for a managed object that matches the specified entity type.
find_entity_views	Searches the inventory tree for managed objects that match the specified entity type.
get_service_instance	Retrieves a ServiceInstance object, which can be used to query the server time or to retrieve the ServiceContent object.
get_service_content	Retrieves properties of the service instance, enabling access to the service’s managed objects.
get_session_id	Retrieves a session ID.
get_view	Retrieves the properties of a single managed object.
get_views	Retrieves the properties of a set of managed objects.
load_session	Uses a saved session file for connecting to a server.
login	Establishes a session with the Web service running on the vSphere host.
logout	Disconnects the client from the server and closes the connection to the Web service.
save_session	Saves a session cookie, which is a text file.
update_view_data	Refreshes the property values of a view object.

Subroutines in the Util Package 

Subroutine	Description
connect	Establishes a session by using the token provided in a previously-saved session file, or by using the user name and password provided on the command line, in environment variables, or in a configuration file.
disconnect	If used in conjunction with connect (and a session file), does nothing. If used in conjunction with a user name and password, logs out and closes the session.
get_inventory_path	Returns the inventory path for the specified managed entity.
trace	General-purpose logging function used in conjunction with the --verbose command-line option.