Re: [Qemu-devel] Re: [libvirt] Supporting hypervisor specific APIs in libvirt

[Cole Robinson <crobinso@redhat.com>]

On 03/22/2010 05:33 PM, Gerd Hoffmann wrote:
>   Hi,
> 
>> Stepping back a bit first, there are the two core areas in which
>> people can
>> be limited by libvirt currently.
> 
>>   2. Command line flags
> 
> For me:  This one, and monitor access.
> 
> libvirt is very unfriendly to qemu hackers.  There is no easy way to add
> command line switches.  There is no easy way to get access to the
> monitor.  I can get it done by pointing <emulator> to a wrapper script
> and mangle the qemu command line there.  But this sucks big time.  And
> it doesn't integrate with libvirt at all.
> 
> When hacking qemu, especially when adding new command line options or
> monitor commands, I want to have a easy way to test this stuff.  Or I
> just wanna able to type some 'info $foo' commands for debugging and
> trouble shooting purposes.  libvirt makes it harder not easier to get
> the job done.
> 
> Image you could ask libvirt to create an additional monitor and expose
> it like a serial console.  virt-manager lists it as text console.  Two
> mouse clicks open a new window (or tab) with a terminal emulator linked
> to the monitor.  Wouldn't that be cool?
> 
> Other issues I've trap into:
> 
> -boot
>   libvirt (or virt-manager?) supports only the very old single letter
>   style.  You can't specify '-boot order=cd,menu=on'.
> 

Libvirt has supported multiple boot options for a while, it just wasn't in
virt-manager. It's been upstream for a few weeks now though, and a new release
is coming in a matter of days.

I have a half implemented libvirt patch to allow setting boot menu, I guess
it's time to dust it off :)

> -enable-nested
>   not available.
> 
> serial console doesn't work for remote connections.
> 

Both of these have been requested a few times, so you aren't alone.

- Cole