The basic command line syntax for using ''vmrun'' varies between host platforms and VMware product, can be gnerally summarized as follows:
vmrun
''<host authentication flags> <guest authentication flags> <command> <parameters>
''The ''host authentication flags'' are required to provide host information and the login and password for the host system to perform management tasks on the virtual machines. These are essentially the same credentials that would be used when accessing the VI Web Access management interface. These flags are required only on VMware Server hosts, and are not needed for VMware Workstation:
* <table border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="E3B" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-color:#cccccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; margin-bottom:20px"><tr bgcolor="#cccccc" style="color:black" valign="top"><th><p>Flag</p></th><th><p>Description</p></th></tr><tr><td><p>'''-h''' - </p></td><td>The https URL of the host to which ''vmrun'' is required to connect. Must also include the ''/sdk'' sub-directory and, optionally the port number (unless the ''-p'' flag below is used). For example, '''https://myhostname:8333/sdk'''.</td></tr>
* <tr bgcolor="#e9e9e6"><td>'''-P''' - </td><td>The port number used by the host for virtual machine management. By default this will be 8333. If the port is specified in the URL (see above) this flag is not required.</td></tr>
* <tr><td><p>'''-uT''' - </p></td><td>The user name type of VMware product which is running on the host . Options are ''ws'' for VMware Workstation, ''server'' to be used to log into the VMware management interface. The same as the user name that would used when logging in using the VI Web Access interfaceServer 2 and ''server1'' for VMware Server 1.</td></tr>
* <tr bgcolor="#e9e9e6"><td>'''-u'''</td><td>The user name on the host to be used to log into the VMware management interface. The same as the user name that would used when logging in using the VI Web Access interface.</td></tr> <tr><td><p>''' - p'''</p></td><td>The password corresponding to the user name specified with ''-u'' as outlined above.</td></tr></table>
The ''guest password flags'' are specified if ''vmrun'' is required to log into the guest operating system to perform tasks such as work with guest files or execute commands. If such operations are not required, these flags may be omitted from the command line:
<tt>"[Vol1] win2008/win2008.vmx</tt>
Bringing all of these different command line arguments together, a typical ''vmrun' command to start a virtual machine on a host named ''vmhost'' running VMware Server 2 might appear as follows:
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