Fix inspection code when PCRE or hivex is missing.

[libguestfs.git] / src / guestfs.pod

diff --git a/src/guestfs.pod b/src/guestfs.pod
index d9045a5..0b3b654 100644 (file)
--- a/src/guestfs.pod
+++ b/src/guestfs.pod
@@ -550,10 +550,11 @@ device (I<not> the underlying encrypted block device).
 =head2 INSPECTION
 
 Libguestfs has APIs for inspecting an unknown disk image to find out
-if it contains operating systems.  (These APIs used to be in a
-separate Perl-only library called L<Sys::Guestfs::Lib(3)> but since
-version 1.5.3 the most frequently used part of this library has been
-rewritten in C and moved into the core code).
+if it contains operating systems, an install CD or a live CD.  (These
+APIs used to be in a separate Perl-only library called
+L<Sys::Guestfs::Lib(3)> but since version 1.5.3 the most frequently
+used part of this library has been rewritten in C and moved into the
+core code).
 
 Add all disks belonging to the unknown virtual machine and call
 L</guestfs_launch> in the usual way.
@@ -608,6 +609,25 @@ again.  (L</guestfs_inspect_list_applications> works a little
 differently from the other calls and does read the disks.  See
 documentation for that function for details).
 
+=head3 INSPECTING INSTALL DISKS
+
+Libguestfs (since 1.9.4) can detect some install disks, install
+CDs, live CDs and more.
+
+Call L</guestfs_inspect_get_format> to return the format of the
+operating system, which currently can be C<installed> (a regular
+operating system) or C<installer> (some sort of install disk).
+
+Further information is available about the operating system that can
+be installed using the regular inspection APIs like
+L</guestfs_inspect_get_product_name>,
+L</guestfs_inspect_get_major_version> etc.
+
+Some additional information specific to installer disks is also
+available from the L</guestfs_inspect_is_live>,
+L</guestfs_inspect_is_netinst> and L</guestfs_inspect_is_multipart>
+calls.
+
 =head2 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR WINDOWS GUESTS
 
 Libguestfs can mount NTFS partitions.  It does this using the
@@ -717,7 +737,7 @@ See L<guestfs-ocaml(3)>.
 
 =item B<Perl>
 
-See L<Sys::Guestfs(3)>.
+See L<guestfs-perl(3)> and L<Sys::Guestfs(3)>.
 
 =item B<PHP>
 
@@ -952,6 +972,63 @@ For example:
 Note that libguestfs also calls qemu with the -help and -version
 options in order to determine features.
 
+=head2 ATTACHING TO RUNNING DAEMONS
+
+I<Note (1):> This is B<highly experimental> and has a tendency to eat
+babies.  Use with caution.
+
+I<Note (2):> This section explains how to attach to a running daemon
+from a low level perspective.  For most users, simply using virt tools
+such as L<guestfish(1)> with the I<--live> option will "just work".
+
+=head3 Using guestfs_set_attach_method
+
+By calling L</guestfs_set_attach_method> you can change how the
+library connects to the C<guestfsd> daemon in L</guestfs_launch>
+(read L</ARCHITECTURE> for some background).
+
+The normal attach method is C<appliance>, where a small appliance is
+created containing the daemon, and then the library connects to this.
+
+Setting attach method to C<unix:I<path>> (where I<path> is the path of
+a Unix domain socket) causes L</guestfs_launch> to connect to an
+existing daemon over the Unix domain socket.
+
+The normal use for this is to connect to a running virtual machine
+that contains a C<guestfsd> daemon, and send commands so you can read
+and write files inside the live virtual machine.
+
+=head3 Using guestfs_add_domain with live flag
+
+L</guestfs_add_domain> provides some help for getting the
+correct attach method.  If you pass the C<live> option to this
+function, then (if the virtual machine is running) it will
+examine the libvirt XML looking for a virtio-serial channel
+to connect to:
+
+ <domain>
+   ...
+   <devices>
+     ...
+     <channel type='unix'>
+       <source mode='bind' path='/path/to/socket'/>
+       <target type='virtio' name='org.libguestfs.channel.0'/>
+     </channel>
+     ...
+   </devices>
+ </domain>
+
+L</guestfs_add_domain> extracts C</path/to/socket> and sets the attach
+method to C<unix:/path/to/socket>.
+
+Some of the libguestfs tools (including guestfish) support a I<--live>
+option which is passed through to L</guestfs_add_domain> thus allowing
+you to attach to and modify live virtual machines.
+
+The virtual machine needs to have been set up beforehand so that it
+has the virtio-serial channel and so that guestfsd is running inside
+it.
+
 =head2 ABI GUARANTEE
 
 We guarantee the libguestfs ABI (binary interface), for public,
@@ -2481,12 +2558,13 @@ has the same effect as calling C<guestfs_set_trace (g, 1)>.
 
 =item TMPDIR
 
-Location of temporary directory, defaults to C</tmp>.
+Location of temporary directory, defaults to C</tmp> except for the
+cached supermin appliance which defaults to C</var/tmp>.
 
 If libguestfs was compiled to use the supermin appliance then the
 real appliance is cached in this directory, shared between all
 handles belonging to the same EUID.  You can use C<$TMPDIR> to
-configure another directory to use in case C</tmp> is not large
+configure another directory to use in case C</var/tmp> is not large
 enough.
 
 =back