Trouble starting vEMan

[Guv]

G'day, hopefully I've made a simple mistake... everything appeared to install correctly.

I'm on OpenSUSE 42.1. ESXi server is 5.5.0 build 2068190.

guv@moon:~> vmware-cmd --version
vSphere SDK for Perl version: 5.5.0
Script 'vmware-cmd' version: 5.5.0

guv@moon:~> yad --version

(process:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Locale not supported by C library.
        Using the fallback 'C' locale.

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory actions/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/16 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/22 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory devices/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4331): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory  of theme oxygen has no size field

0.36.2 (GTK+ 3.16.7)

guv@moon:~/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b> ./vEMan 
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg found.
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: System variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/sysvars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: included >F_MKCFG< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_PARENTF< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_HELP< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_VERSION< successfully                                                                                     
DEBUG: included >F_LICENSE< successfully                                                                                     
DEBUG: included >F_INSTALLER< successfully                                                                                   
DEBUG: included >F_ERR< successfully                                                                                         
DEBUG: included >F_REVIEWER< successfully                                                                                    
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vEMan met.                                                                
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/yad met.                                                                                         
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/general/connect.pl met.                                            
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/libs/getx509certificate.vEMan met.                                        
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/ovftool met.                                                                                     
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/vncviewer met.                                                                                   
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/ovftool met.                                                                                     
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/vmware-cmd met.                                                                                  
DEBUG: Requirement /bin/nc met.                                                                                              
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/esxcli met.                                                                                      
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/libs/runFUNCTION.vEMan met.                                               
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/openssl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/vminfo.pl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/vmcontrol.pl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/snapshotmanager.pl met.
DEBUG: vEMan executed first time. Starting installer..
DEBUG: Displaying license information

(process:4497): Gtk-WARNING **: Locale not supported by C library.
        Using the fallback 'C' locale.
Unable to parse command line: Invalid byte sequence in conversion input
DEBUG: selected button id: 255
DEBUG: Answer was 255
F_ESXMGR ERROR: Unspecified action (255) defined

(process:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Locale not supported by C library.
        Using the fallback 'C' locale.

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory actions/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/16 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/22 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory devices/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:4499): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory  of theme oxygen has no size field

(yad:4499): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkAlignment:xalign is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.

(yad:4499): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkAlignment:yalign is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.

The above results initially in a s message window "Unspecified action (255) defined (F_LICENCE)", however running a second time by clicking "Retry" opens the ESX server and credentials window as expected.

Putting in the correct details results in a window "Preparing vEMan" which appears to get stuck at "preparing vEMan..." at about 40% of the progress bar.

Logging to ESXi using a windows VM and vSphere client, it appears that the vEMan log in was successful... the event log reads:

User root@XXX.XX.X.XX logged in as VI Perl
info
21/05/2016 11:31:05 AM
root

...but after around 2mins it times out.

Any ideas?

(In the meantime I will try reinstalling all components again taking special note on whether any modules were missed)

Cheers,
Guv

[Guv]

Ok, messed with the locale for the user running this... and now get to view and accept the licence.

But essentially same result - gets stuck on "preparing vEMan..." or "creating session..." (not always one or the other).

guv@moon:~/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b> ./vEMan
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg found.
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: System variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/sysvars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: included >F_MKCFG< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_PARENTF< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_HELP< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_VERSION< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_LICENSE< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_INSTALLER< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_ERR< successfully
DEBUG: included >F_REVIEWER< successfully
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vEMan met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/yad met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/general/connect.pl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/libs/getx509certificate.vEMan met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/ovftool met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/vncviewer met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/ovftool met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/vmware-cmd met.
DEBUG: Requirement /bin/nc met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/esxcli met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/libs/runFUNCTION.vEMan met.
DEBUG: Requirement /usr/bin/openssl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/vminfo.pl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/vmcontrol.pl met.
DEBUG: Requirement /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/vmapps/vm/snapshotmanager.pl met.
DEBUG: vEMan has been executed before. Skipping installer.
DEBUG: starting auth popup
DEBUG: Argument given is valid (F_GETCFG)
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: System variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/sysvars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: setting file included successfully

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory actions/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/16 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/22 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory devices/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12403): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory  of theme oxygen has no size field

(yad:12403): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkAlignment:xalign is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.

(yad:12403): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkAlignment:yalign is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
DEBUG: selected XXX.XX.X.X, root, XXXXXXX (PW hidden), button id: 0
DEBUG: making config
DEBUG: Hashed pass is: U2FsdGVkX1/8ch+SPJDJ7hoy4PZyB/DCD7Td/KM1+e8ZDDBvcugQx+ys1vCXXXXX
SRV="XXX.XX.X.X"
DEBUG: Certificate already fetched and available
DEBUG: skipping certificate activation
No session file detected. Creating one..
HASH is U2FsdGVkX1/8ch+SPJDJ7hoy4PZyB/DCD7Td/KM1+e8ZDDBvcugQx+ys1vCXXXXX

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory actions/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/16 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/22 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory categories/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory devices/48 of theme breeze has no size field

(yad:12423): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory  of theme oxygen has no size field

(yad:12423): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkButton:use-stock is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.

(yad:12423): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: The property GtkSettings:gtk-button-images is deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore. It will be removed in a future version.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
DEBUG: Error (0) checking authentication or creating session cookie file (F_CRTCOOKIE)
DEBUG: Return message was: SOAP request error - possibly a protocol issue: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenc="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/"
 xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
 xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<soapenv:Body>
<RetrievePropertiesResponse xmlns="urn:vim25"><returnval><obj type="ServiceInstance">ServiceInstance</obj><propSet><name>capability</name><val xsi:type="Capability"><provisioningSupported>false</provisioningSupported><multiHostSupported>false</multiHostSupported><userShellAccessSupported>true</userShellAccessSupported></val></propSet><propSet><name>content</name><val xsi:type="ServiceContent"><rootFolder type="Folder">ha-folder-root</rootFolder><propertyCollector type="PropertyCollector">ha-property-collector</propertyCollector><viewManager type="ViewManager">V

Connection Successful
DEBUG: Argument given is valid (F_ERR Target said:\n\nSOAP request error - possibly a protocol issue: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenc="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/"
 xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
 xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<soapenv:Body>
<RetrievePropertiesResponse xmlns="urn:vim25"><returnval><obj type="ServiceInstance">ServiceInstance</obj><propSet><name>capability</name><val xsi:type="Capability"><provisioningSupported>false</provisioningSupported><multiHostSupported>false</multiHostSupported><userShellAccessSupported>true</userShellAccessSupported></val></propSet><propSet><name>content</name><val xsi:type="ServiceContent"><rootFolder type="Folder">ha-folder-root</rootFolder><propertyCollector type="PropertyCollector">ha-property-collector</propertyCollector><viewManager type="ViewManager">V

Connection Successful\n)
DEBUG: User variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.
DEBUG: System variable file /home/guv/.vmware/vEMan_v0.9.6b/etc/sysvars_vEMan.cfg included successfully.

[secure diversITy]

Hi Guv,

well yes I really hate to say that again and again but the VMware SDK for Perl is a mess ;)

First of all: You're not using the really latest version of vEMan. Download the latest one here (still mentioned "preview" but it will work better then v0.9.6):
https://github.com/secure-diversITy/vEMan/archive/master.zip

Second:
Please read the README carefully!!!! You will see that SDK v5.5 is absolutely NOT supported by vEMan! That is also mentioned in your downloaded v0.9.6.

So uninstall the 5.5 SDK and then install either 5.1 or 6.x (I think 5.1 would be better / enough in you case). Check carefully the output at the end of the SDK installation to find missing modules.

Then recheck and tell me if your problem was solved.

Good luck ;)
Thomas

[Guv]

G'day Thomas,

Thanks for getting back to me. Yes, I had found similar in another post of yours and tried a few things...

After countless hours gnashing teeth, I eventually found ovf-tool 2.0.1 online but then had to mess around trying to uninstall 4.1... (the process of installing 2.01 over the top did not automatically remove the newer package!)

Then tried SDK 5.1, then 5.1.1 both of which gave me "Server version unavailable" errors despite your config files explicitly telling it not to check server version...

Then I tried SDK 6.0, which threw up a few errors on older perl modules, but were easy enough to fix and then.... da da da DAH! It works!

Looks good - for a quick linux based vm check it'll be easier than firing up a windows vm and the old vshpere client but I'm now considering just implementing a full windows vm on the esxi server just to allow use of the web client (overkill). Sucker for punishment I guess. ;-P

[secure diversITy]

I'm glad to hear that you got it working!

Regarding ovftool (and others!!!):
You can have multiple versions installed when you configure the settings in vEMan.

Edit: [vEMan-installation-path]/etc/uservars_vEMan.cfg

XOVFTOOL="/usr/bin/ovftool_v2" <-- change this to your path

Check that file to match your installation. The good: When upgrading vEMan later this file gets not overwritten so you're safe to adjust things there.

[Guv]

Good to know! Great work!