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<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8' ?>
<!DOCTYPE section PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN" "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd" [
]>
<chapter id="Intro_Boxes">
<title>Introduction to Boxes</title>
<para>
Boxes is a simple graphical interface for managing and using virtual machines. Boxes can also connect to computers via VNC, SPICE, and Quemu.
</para>
<para>
Boxes uses <application>qemu-kvm</application>, <application>libvirt-glib</application>, and <application>spice-gtk</application> to allow users to easily manage virtual machines and connect to remote machines.
</para>
<section id="sec-boxes-Features">
<title>Features of Boxes</title>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>Create, access, and manage, local virtual machines.</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Connect to remote machines (called connections) via SPICE, Quemu, or VNC protocols.</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Select and create favorite virtual machines or connections.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</section>
<section id="sec-create-vm-in-boxes">
<title>How do I create a virtual machine in Boxes?</title>
<procedure><title>Create a Virtual Machine In Boxes</title>
<step>
<para>
Download an ISO image of an operating system that will be used in the virtual machine.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Launch Boxes from the application launcher, super key, or terminal.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click the <guilabel>New</guilabel> Button.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Read the introduction and click <guilabel>continue</guilabel> in the upper right hand corner.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Select the ISO Image that was previously downloaded to the Downloads folder, otherwise click <guilabel>select a file</guilabel> to find one somewhere else.<emphasis> Boxes will try to auto-detect ISO files in your Downloads folder, but it will not always recognize them.</emphasis>
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Boxes will then auto create settings, they can be edited by clicking <guilabel>customize</guilabel>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Memory and Disk allocation can be changed via the customize menu.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click <guilabel>Create</guilabel>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
The new virtual machine will now boot.
</para>
</step>
</procedure>
</section>
<section id="sec-connect-to-remote-machine">
<title>How do I connect to other computers in Boxes?</title>
<note>
<para>Boxes Supports three protocols: SPICE, Qemu, and VNC.</para>
</note>
<procedure>
<title>To connect to another computer using Boxes:</title>
<step>
<para>
Open Boxes.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click<guilabel> Continue</guilabel> while the introduction is displayed.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click <guilabel>Enter URL</guilabel>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Enter the IP address or hostname of the remote machine you want to connect to. Remember to specify the protocol in the field. For example to connect to a computer via VNC at IP Address 192.168.1.115, you would type in <emphasis>vnc://192.168.1.115</emphasis>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click <guilabel>Continue</guilabel>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
The Review screen will now show you the type (protocol) and host (either hostname or IP address) of the remote connection.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
You can click <guilabel>customize</guilabel> at this screen to access different options that are available per protocol, for example USB redirection is available for the spice protocol. Or Read only is available for VNC.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
Click <guilabel>Create</guilabel>.
</para>
</step>
<step>
<para>
The Remote connection is now available in the selection screen.
</para>
</step>
</procedure>
</section>
<section id="sec-change-settings">
<title>How do I change the settings of a machine in boxes?</title>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>On the listing of machines, right click on the machine and then choose <guilabel>Properties</guilabel>.</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>If the machine is running, click on the <guilabel>screwdriver and wrench icon</guilabel>.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
Once you have accessed the settings menu you can change various items of the virtual machine:
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>Sharing the clipboard</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Resize Guest</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Redirect New USB Devices to the Virtual Machine</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Redirect currently plugged in USB devices to the Virtual machine</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Create Snapshots of the Virtual Machine from the snapshot heading</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Force Shutdown, by clicking "Force Shutdown" in the lower left hand corner</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
To exit the settings menu, <emphasis>press the arrow pointing <guilabel>back</guilabel> or to the left on the top left hand side of the menu bar</emphasis>. This will return you to your virtual machine console.
</para>
</section>
<section id="Move-VM">
<title>How do I move a Virtual Machine between computers?</title>
<para>
To Move a Virtual Machine made in Boxes takes two steps:
</para>
<note><para>$USER is a variable or place holder for whatever your username is on your system. For example: if your username is glen, /home/$USER would mean /home/glen</para></note>
<orderedlist>
<listitem>
<para>Move of the virtual hard drive that is kept in:<filename class="directory">/home/$USER/.local/share/gnome-boxes/images</filename>
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Export of the XML file via <command>VIRSH dumpxml</command>.
</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>
<procedure>
<title>Move a VM Hard drive "image" file between Computers</title>
<step><para>Open your home folder via files
</para>
</step>
<step><para>Press CTRL+H to view hidden files.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>Open the<emphasis> .local</emphasis> folder.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>Open the <emphasis>share</emphasis> folder.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>Open the <emphasis>gnome-boxes</emphasis> folder.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>Open the <emphasis>images</emphasis> folder.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>If You only have one virtual machine it will be called <emphasis>boxes-unknown</emphasis> by default. <emphasis>Right Click </emphasis>on the file of the virtual machine and copy it to the USB drive, network drive, or what ever media you will be using to copy your VM to the other computer.
</para>
</step>
<step><para>On the receiving computer, do the steps in reverse order, ultimately placing the hard drive file in: <filename class="directory">/home/$USER/.local/share/gnome-boxes/images</filename>.
</para>
</step>
</procedure>
<procedure>
<title>Copy a Virtual Machine "Config" file between Computers</title>
<step><para>Open a terminal window.
</para></step>
<step><para>type in <command> virsh list --all </command>
</para></step>
<step><para>If you only have one Virtual machine the default will be called <emphasis> boxes-unknown</emphasis>.
</para></step>
<step><para>To export the <emphasis>boxes-unknown</emphasis> machine configuration, issue the command: <command>virsh dumpxml boxes-unknown >~/boxes-unknown.xml</command> This will place the xml config file in the root of your home folder. So it would be located at: <filename class="directory">/home/$USER/boxes-unknown.xml</filename>
</para></step>
<step><para>Now that the configuration XML file "boxes-unknown.xml" is in the root of your home directory, copy it to the USB drive, network drive, or what ever media you will be using to copy your VM to the other/receiving computer.
</para></step>
<step><para>On the receiving computer, copy the boxes-unknown.xml into the root of your home folder: <filename class="directory">/home/$USER/boxes-unknown.xml</filename>
</para></step>
<step><para>On the receiving computer, open a terminal window
</para></step>
<step><para>In the terminal window issue the command: <command>virsh create boxes-unknown.xml</command>
</para></step>
</procedure>
</section>
<section id="sec-tips-tricks">
<title>Boxes Tips and Tricks</title>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>Boxes uses <application>libvertd</application> and many <application>libvertd</application> commands can be used for Boxes virtual machines.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Boxes keeps the virtual machine disks or images in:<filename class="directory">/home/$USER/.local/share/gnome-boxes/images</filename>
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</section>
<section id="sec-advanced-items">
<title>Advanced Commands in Boxes</title>
<para>
You can start and stop virtual machines from the command line as well as using the boxes interface .
</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para><command>virsh shutdown</command> or<command> virsh reboot</command> will use ACPI to shutdown or reboot the virtual machine.</para></listitem>
<listitem>
<para><command>virsh destroy</command> will mimic if you pulled the power from a running virtual machine.</para></listitem>
<listitem>
<para><command>virsh start</command> will power on or start the virtual machine.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<warning>
<para>
Do not use the <command>virsh destory</command> often or corruption and data loss will occur!
</para>
</warning>
</section>
</chapter>
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