[virt-tools-list] [libvirt] Usability Enhancement: Import/Export VMs GUI

[Gizmo Chicken]

I'm not a programmer, so I have no idea how difficult it would be to
provide a means for a "one click" import/export of VMs and their
config settings from VirtualBox to Virt-Manager, but...

At the very least, I hope that Virt-Manager will provide a GUI-based
means for importing/exporting config settings (XML files) files
to/from Virt-Manager.

Yes, I know that the XML config files can be imported/exported using
the "virsh define" and "virsh dumpxml" commands. But being able to
import/export them directly from Virt-Manager would be much more
convenient, which is what Virt-Manager is all about.

For my purposes, such futures would allow for more easily backing up
and/or tweaking the my XML files. For those who want to import
VirtualBox config files into Virt-Manager, although my requested
features wouldn't provide a direct means for doing so, in the event
that a 3rd party wants to develop a means for converting VirtualBox
config files directly into XML files, my requested features would, at
least, provide an easier means for importing those converted XML files
into Virt-Manager.

And my guess is that adding a GUi-based "Import XML" and "Export XML"
features to Virt-Manager probably wouldn't constitute much of a
challenge, especially considering that the back ends for such features
could probably rely on calls to the "virsh define" and "virsh dumpxml"
commands.

I hope that the Virt-Manager team will please consider adding
GUi-based "Import XML" and "Export XML" features to Virt-Manager at
some point in the future.

Best regards,
GizmoChicken

On Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 2:29 AM, Martin Kletzander <mkletzan at redhat.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 04, 2016 at 04:23:18PM +0000, bancfc at openmailbox.org wrote:
>>
>> The single most important usability feature missed by our less technical
>> users who migrate  from VirtualBox is a one click import/export of VMs
>> and their config settings.
>>
>> I was optimistic about the Gnome Boxes effort on Govf lib but
>> unfortunately it was never realized and I would hesitate to recommend it
>> because libvirt/virt-manager has the security advantages of sVirt.
>>
>> An ideal solution would work across all KVM frontends.
>>
>
> This is a great idea, but I don't know about such one-click solution.
> This could be suitable for virt-manager and libguestfs projects (Cc'd
> both projects).  If nobody grabs it right now, it could be at least
> suggested as GSoC and/or Outreachy project idea.  Or were you looking
> forward to adding such solution?
>
> Have a nice day,
> Martin
>
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