Creating an Auto Start/Stop Script for Virtualbox

#!/bin/bash

#

#This init script autostarts necessary vms at boot

#and saves running vms on shutdown

# Sed explanation: sed -e 's/^.//' -e 's/.$//'

#   1.  -e means to allow multiple arguments in a single sed command

#   2.  's/^.//' means to substitute (s) / at the beginning of the line (^), any character (.) / [substitute with nothing] /

#   3.  's/.$//' means to substitute (s) / any character (.), at the end of the line / [substitute with nothing] /

VBOXUSER=vbox

RUNNINGVMS=$(sudo -H -u $VBOXUSER vboxmanage list runningvms | cut -d " " -f1 | sed -e 's/^.//' -e 's/.$//')

STOPPEDVMS=$(sudo -H -u $VBOXUSER vboxmanage list vms | cut -d " " -f1 | sed -e 's/^.//' -e 's/.$//')

case "$1" in

 start)

       for i in $STOPPEDVMS

               do

                       echo "Starting" $i "VM"

                       sudo -H -u $VBOXUSER vboxmanage startvm $i --type headless

                       sleep 5

               done

   ;;

 stop)

       for i in $RUNNINGVMS

               do

                       echo "Saving state of" $i "VM"

                       sudo -H -u  $VBOXUSER vboxmanage controlvm $i savestate

               done

   ;;

 *)

   echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/startvm {start|stop}"

   exit 1

   ;;

esac

exit 0