### Integrate and Use External Helper Tools with COT

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Demonstrates how to check for the availability of external helper tools like 'ovftool' and 'qemu-img', install them if necessary, and use them directly through the COT helpers interface. Requires COT.helpers module.

```python
from COT.helpers import helpers

# Check if helper is available
ovftool = helpers['ovftool']
if ovftool.is_available():
    print(f"ovftool version: {ovftool.version}")
else:
    print("ovftool not found")

# Install helper if needed (prompts user)
try:
    ovftool.install_helper()
except NotImplementedError:
    print("Automatic installation not supported")

# Use helper directly
qemu_img = helpers['qemu-img']
qemu_img.call(['-V'])  # Get version
```

--------------------------------

### Handle Disk Formats using DiskRepresentation

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Demonstrates loading a virtual disk, checking its format and capacity, and the process of converting disk formats using helper tools. Requires COT.disks and COT.helpers modules. Disk conversion is handled automatically by add_disk_worker.

```python
from COT.disks import DiskRepresentation
from COT.helpers import helpers

# Load disk and check format
disk = DiskRepresentation.from_file('disk.vmdk')
print(f"Disk format: {disk.disk_format}")
print(f"Disk size: {disk.capacity}")
print(f"Predicted drive type: {disk.predicted_drive_type}")

# Convert disk format (requires appropriate helper tools)
qemu_img = helpers['qemu-img']
qemu_img.install_helper()  # Ensure tool is available

# Disk conversion happens automatically in add_disk_worker
# based on platform requirements
```

--------------------------------

### Working with Configuration Profiles via Python API

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Python code using the COT library to manage configuration profiles for a VM. It enables listing, creating, setting hardware for specific profiles, and deleting profiles. Requires the 'COT' library and an OVF/OVA file.

```python
from COT.vm_description import VMDescription

with VMDescription.factory('input.ova', 'output.ova') as vm:
    # List existing profiles
    existing_profiles = vm.config_profiles
    print(f"Profiles: {existing_profiles}")

    # Create new profile
    vm.create_configuration_profile(
        profile_id='1CPU-2GB',
        label='Small Configuration',
        description='Development profile with minimal resources'
    )

    # Set hardware for specific profile
    vm.set_cpu_count(1, profiles=['1CPU-2GB'])
    vm.set_memory(2048, profiles=['1CPU-2GB'])
    vm.set_nic_count(1, profiles=['1CPU-2GB'])

    # Delete a profile
    vm.delete_configuration_profile('unused-profile')
```

--------------------------------

### Implement Error Handling and Validation for VM Descriptions

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Shows how to use VMDescription for creating and validating virtual machine configurations, including handling specific errors like InvalidInputError and ValueUnsupportedError. Requires COT.vm_description and COT.data_validation modules.

```python
from COT.vm_description import VMDescription, VMInitError
from COT.data_validation import InvalidInputError, ValueUnsupportedError

try:
    with VMDescription.factory('package.ova', 'output.ova') as vm:
        # Validate inputs before setting
        try:
            vm.set_cpu_count(0, profiles=None)
        except InvalidInputError as e:
            print(f"Invalid input: {e}")

        # Platform-specific validation
        try:
            vm.platform.validate_cpu_count(128)
        except ValueUnsupportedError as e:
            print(f"Unsupported value: {e}")

        # Set valid values
        vm.set_cpu_count(4, profiles=None)

except VMInitError as e:
    print(f"Failed to load VM: {e}")
except EnvironmentError as e:
    print(f"File system error: {e}")
```

--------------------------------

### Loading and Inspecting VMs with Python API

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Python code using the COT library to load and inspect an OVF/OVA package. It allows retrieval of basic VM information, hardware details, configuration profiles, and network configurations. Requires the 'COT' library.

```python
from COT.vm_description import VMDescription

# Open and inspect an OVF/OVA package
with VMDescription.factory('package.ova', None) as vm:
    # Get basic information
    print(f"Platform: {vm.platform}")
    print(f"System types: {vm.system_types}")

    # Display formatted information
    info = vm.info_string(width=80, verbosity='verbose')
    print(info)

    # Access hardware details
    nic_count = vm.get_nic_count(profiles=None)
    print(f"NIC count per profile: {nic_count}")

    serial_count = vm.get_serial_count(profiles=None)
    print(f"Serial ports: {serial_count}")

    # Get configuration profiles
    profiles = vm.config_profiles
    print(f"Available profiles: {profiles}")

    # Get network information
    networks = vm.networks
    network_descs = vm.network_descriptions
    for net, desc in zip(networks, network_descs):
        print(f"Network: {net} - {desc}")
```

--------------------------------

### Deploying VMs to ESXi with Python API

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Python code using the COT library's ESXi deployment module to deploy a VM to an ESXi host. It allows configuration of connection details, VM name, datastore, and power-on state. Requires the 'COT.commands.deploy_esxi' and 'COT.ui' modules.

```python
from COT.commands.deploy_esxi import COTDeployESXi
from COT.ui import CLI

# Create command instance
ui = CLI()
deployer = COTDeployESXi(ui)

# Configure deployment
deployer.package = 'package.ova'
deployer.locator = '192.168.1.100'
deployer.username = 'admin'
deployer.password = 'password'
deployer.vm_name = 'my_vm'
deployer.configuration = '2CPU-4GB'
deployer.datastore = 'datastore1'
deployer.power_on = True
```

--------------------------------

### Configure Network Mapping and Serial Connections for Deployment

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Configures network mappings and serial connections before executing a deployment using the COT deployer. It includes basic error handling for the deployment process. Dependencies include the COT.deploy module.

```python
from COT.deploy import SerialConnection

# Set network mapping
deployer.network_map = [
    'GigabitEthernet1=VM Network',
    'GigabitEthernet2=Production'
]

# Set serial connections
deployer.serial_connection = [
    SerialConnection('telnet', 'localhost:9001', ['server']),
    SerialConnection('telnet', 'localhost:9002', ['server'])
]

# Execute deployment
try:
    deployer.run()
    print("Deployment successful!")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"Deployment failed: {e}")
```

--------------------------------

### Add Custom Hardware Profile to OVA using COT CLI

Source: https://github.com/glennmatthews/cot/blob/master/docs/introduction.rst

This command adds a custom hardware profile to an OVA file, allowing for specific CPU and memory configurations. It requires the OVA file path, output file path, profile name, number of CPUs, and memory size as input.

```bash
> cot edit-hardware csr1000v.ova --output csr1000v_custom.ova \
      --profile 1CPU-4GB --cpus 1 --memory 4GB
```

--------------------------------

### Modifying VM Hardware with Python API

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Python code using the COT library to modify the hardware configuration of a VM within an OVF/OVA package. Supports setting CPU, memory, NICs, serial ports, and controller subtypes. Requires the 'COT' library and an input OVF/OVA file, outputting a modified file.

```python
from COT.vm_description import VMDescription

# Modify hardware configuration
with VMDescription.factory('input.ova', 'output.ova') as vm:
    # Set CPU and memory
    vm.set_cpu_count(4, profiles=None)
    vm.set_memory(8192, profiles=None)  # Memory in MB

    # Configure NICs
    vm.set_nic_count(3, profiles=None)
    vm.set_nic_types(['VMXNET3'], profiles=None)

    # Create networks and map NICs
    vm.create_network('Network1', 'Primary Network')
    vm.create_network('Network2', 'Secondary Network')
    vm.set_nic_networks(['Network1', 'Network2', 'Network2'],
                        profiles=None)

    # Set NIC names
    vm.set_nic_names(['Management', 'Data1', 'Data2'],
                     profiles=None)

    # Configure serial ports
    vm.set_serial_count(2, profiles=None)

    # Set controller subtypes
    vm.set_scsi_subtypes(['lsilogic'], profiles=None)
    vm.set_ide_subtypes([''], profiles=None)  # Empty string removes subtype

    # Set virtual system type
    vm.system_types = ['vmx-10', 'vmx-11']
```

--------------------------------

### Adding Disks Programmatically with Python API

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Python code utilizing the COT library to add a virtual disk to a VM within an OVF/OVA package. It allows specifying disk type, controller, subtype, address, name, and description. Requires 'COT', 'disk representation', and 'add disk worker' modules.

```python
from COT.vm_description import VMDescription
from COT.disks import DiskRepresentation
from COT.commands.add_disk import add_disk_worker
from COT.ui import UI

# Create a UI instance
ui = UI(force=True)

# Add disk to VM
with VMDescription.factory('input.ova', 'output.ova') as vm:
    disk = DiskRepresentation.from_file('disk.vmdk')

    add_disk_worker(
        vm=vm,
        ui=ui,
        disk_image=disk,
        drive_type='harddisk',  # or 'cdrom'
        controller='scsi',      # 'ide', 'sata', or 'scsi'
        subtype='lsilogic',
        address='1:0',
        diskname='Data Disk',
        description='Additional storage'
    )
```

--------------------------------

### Add Files to OVF Package (CLI)

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Command-line interface to add files to an OVF package. It supports specifying a custom file ID for the added file. Requires the input OVF package and the file(s) to add, outputting a new OVF package.

```bash
# Add file to OVF package
cot add-file extra.txt package.ovf -o output.ovf

# Add file with specific file ID
cot add-file data.bin package.ova -o output.ova \
    --file-id custom-data-001
```

--------------------------------

### Edit Product Information in OVF Package (CLI)

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Command-line interface to edit product-related information within an OVF package, such as the product name, version, vendor, and full version. It takes an input OVF package and outputs a modified one.

```bash
# Set product name and version
cot edit-product package.ova -o output.ova \
    --product "My Product" --version "2.0.1"

# Set vendor and full version
cot edit-product package.ova -o output.ova \
    --vendor "My Company" --full-version "2.0.1-build123"
```

--------------------------------

### Customize OVF Environment Properties using COT CLI

Source: https://github.com/glennmatthews/cot/blob/master/docs/introduction.rst

This command customizes OVF environment properties within an OVA file, such as management IP addresses and gateways. It requires the OVA file path, output file path, and the specific properties to be set as input.

```bash
> cot edit-properties csr1000v.ova --output csr1000v_custom.ova \
      --properties mgmt-ipv4-addr=10.1.1.100/24 \
                   mgmt-ipv4-gateway=10.1.1.1
```

--------------------------------

### Edit OVF Properties (CLI)

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Command-line interface to set or update properties within an OVF package. Multiple properties can be set in a single command. Requires the input OVF package and outputs a modified one.

```bash
# Set property value
cot edit-properties package.ova -o output.ova \
    -p hostname=myhost.example.com

# Set multiple properties
cot edit-properties package.ova -o output.ova \
    -p hostname=myhost -p domain=example.com \
    -p ip_address=192.168.1.10
```

--------------------------------

### Remove Files from OVF Package (CLI)

Source: https://context7.com/glennmatthews/cot/llms.txt

Command-line interface to remove files from an OVF package. Files can be removed by their name or by their specific file ID. Requires the input OVF package and outputs a new OVF package.

```bash
# Remove file by name
cot remove-file package.ova -o output.ova \
    --file oldfile.txt

# Remove file by file ID
cot remove-file package.ova -o output.ova \
    --file-id obsolete-file-001
```

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