The following commands are supported:
@table @option
-@item create [-e] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}]
+@item create [-e] [-6] [-F @var{base_fmt}] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}]
@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename}
-@item convert [-c] [-e] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [-O @var{output_fmt}] @var{output_filename}
+@item convert [-c] [-e] [-6] [-f @var{fmt}] [-O @var{output_fmt}] [-B @var{output_base_image}] @var{filename} [@var{filename2} [...]] @var{output_filename}
@item info [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename}
+@item snapshot [-l | -a @var{snapshot} | -c @var{snapshot} | -d @var{snapshot}] @var{filename}
@end table
Command parameters:
@table @var
@item filename
is a disk image filename
-@item base_image
+@item base_image
is the read-only disk image which is used as base for a copy on
write image; the copy on write image only stores the modified data
-
-@item fmt
+@item output_base_image
+forces the output image to be created as a copy on write
+image of the specified base image; @code{output_base_image} should have the same
+content as the input's base image, however the path, image format, etc may
+differ
+@item base_fmt
+is the disk image format of @var{base_image}. for more information look at @var{fmt}
+@item fmt
is the disk image format. It is guessed automatically in most cases. The following formats are supported:
@table @code
@item raw
Raw disk image format (default). This format has the advantage of
-being simple and easily exportable to all other emulators. If your file
-system supports @emph{holes} (for example in ext2 or ext3 on Linux),
-then only the written sectors will reserve space. Use @code{qemu-img
-info} to know the real size used by the image or @code{ls -ls} on
-Unix/Linux.
+being simple and easily exportable to all other emulators. If your
+file system supports @emph{holes} (for example in ext2 or ext3 on
+Linux or NTFS on Windows), then only the written sectors will reserve
+space. Use @code{qemu-img info} to know the real size used by the
+image or @code{ls -ls} on Unix/Linux.
-@item qcow
+@item qcow2
QEMU image format, the most versatile format. Use it to have smaller
images (useful if your filesystem does not supports holes, for example
-on Windows), optional AES encryption and zlib based compression.
+on Windows), optional AES encryption, zlib based compression and
+support of multiple VM snapshots.
+@item qcow
+Old QEMU image format. Left for compatibility.
@item cow
User Mode Linux Copy On Write image format. Used to be the only growable
image format in QEMU. It is supported only for compatibility with
CD-ROM images present for example in the Knoppix CD-ROMs.
@end table
-@item size
+@item size
is the disk image size in kilobytes. Optional suffixes @code{M}
-(megabyte) and @code{G} (gigabyte) are supported
+(megabyte, 1024 * 1024) and @code{G} (gigabyte, 1024 * 1024 * 1024)
+are supported and any @code{k} or @code{K} is ignored.
@item output_filename
-is the destination disk image filename
+is the destination disk image filename
@item output_fmt
is the destination format
@item -c
indicates that target image must be compressed (qcow format only)
-@item -e
+@item -e
indicates that the target image must be encrypted (qcow format only)
+@item -6
+indicates that the target image must use compatibility level 6 (vmdk format only)
+@item -h
+with or without a command shows help and lists the supported formats
+@end table
+
+Parameters to snapshot subcommand:
+
+@table @option
+
+@item snapshot
+is the name of the snapshot to create, apply or delete
+@item -a
+applies a snapshot (revert disk to saved state)
+@item -c
+creates a snapshot
+@item -d
+deletes a snapshot
+@item -l
+lists all snapshots in the given image
@end table
Command description:
@table @option
-@item create [-e] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}]
+@item create [-6] [-e] [-b @var{base_image}] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [@var{size}]
Create the new disk image @var{filename} of size @var{size} and format
-@var{fmt}.
+@var{fmt}.
If @var{base_image} is specified, then the image will record only the
differences from @var{base_image}. No size needs to be specified in
@item convert [-c] [-e] [-f @var{fmt}] @var{filename} [-O @var{output_fmt}] @var{output_filename}
Convert the disk image @var{filename} to disk image @var{output_filename}
-using format @var{output_fmt}. It can be optionnaly encrypted
+using format @var{output_fmt}. It can be optionally encrypted
(@code{-e} option) or compressed (@code{-c} option).
Only the format @code{qcow} supports encryption or compression. The
Give information about the disk image @var{filename}. Use it in
particular to know the size reserved on disk which can be different
-from the displayed size.
+from the displayed size. If VM snapshots are stored in the disk image,
+they are displayed too.
+
+@item snapshot [-l | -a @var{snapshot} | -c @var{snapshot} | -d @var{snapshot} ] @var{filename}
+
+List, apply, create or delete snapshots in image @var{filename}.
@end table
@c man end
projects / qemu / blobdiff