Pass keystrokes to a pfSense virtual machine to install it automatically

Luca Dell'Oca,
In my previous post I showed how to install automaticaly a virtual machine with pfSense. The automation I reached was around 90%, as I didn’t know how to automate the installation of the software. Thanks to Michael Zenzmaier who suggested me the Set-VMKeystrokes function created by William Lam I was able to also automate the installation. This solution is also a great example to automate every situation where we need to send keystrokes to a vSphere VM.
The full script is posted below, while I will comment the most relevant parts. I also created a video to show the final result.
In the first section, I import the VMKeystrokes module, and I also load a “Sleep-Progress” function.
Function Sleep-Progress($TotalSeconds) {
    $Counter = 0;
    for ($i = 0; $i -lt $TotalSeconds; $i++) {
        $Progress = [math]::Round(100 - (($TotalSeconds - $Counter) / $TotalSeconds * 100));
        Write-Progress -Activity "Waiting..." -Status "$Progress% Complete:" -SecondsRemaining ($TotalSeconds - $Counter) -PercentComplete $Progress;
        Start-Sleep 1
        $Counter++;
    }    
}

This is very important for the script, as we will never have any feedback or return code from the virtual machine. For this reason, each keystroke has to be properly separated from the previous one, to give the operation to complete. In my script you will see many waiting times, which may seem excessive, but they are needed to avoid having some clicks happening too soon, like for example while the virtual machine at some point is still rebooting. You will need to test the script in your own environment to find out the right timings for your situation.

The rest of the script is a long sequence of commands like this one:

Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

this one for example is a Return, while this one:

Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -SpecialKeyInput "TAB" ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

hits the TAB key, or also this one:

Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "vmx3" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

that writes the text “vmx3” in the console and then hit returns. Here is the full video, and below you can copy the script.

# Install or Import needed modules

# Install VMware PowerCLI if you don't have it already
# Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lamw/vmware-scripts/master/powershell/VMKeystrokes.ps1 -OutFile $env:TEMP\VMKeystrokes.ps1
Import-Module $env:TEMP\VMKeystrokes.ps1

Function Sleep-Progress($TotalSeconds) {
    $Counter = 0;
    for ($i = 0; $i -lt $TotalSeconds; $i++) {
        $Progress = [math]::Round(100 - (($TotalSeconds - $Counter) / $TotalSeconds * 100));
        Write-Progress -Activity "Waiting..." -Status "$Progress% Complete:" -SecondsRemaining ($TotalSeconds - $Counter) -PercentComplete $Progress;
        Start-Sleep 1
        $Counter++;
    }    
}
 
#Variables
$vcenter = "vcenter.vsphere.local"
$username = "administrator@vsphere.local"
$password = "VeryComplicatedPassword"
$key_wait_time="1000"
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer $vcenter -User $username -Password $password 

$PfSenseVM=Get-VM pfSense

$lan_IP    ="172.27.217.254"
$wan_IP    ="203.0.113.151"
$gtw_IP    ="203.0.113.1"

##Send Commands
Start-Sleep -Seconds 10

#AcceptEulas
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Install
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Auto (ZFS)
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Install
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Stripe
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Use Disk
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput " " ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Last Chance!
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -SpecialKeyInput "TAB" ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#WORKING
Write-Host "Wait for Installation" ;Sleep-Progress 60

#No Change
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Reboot
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Write-Host "Wait for Reboot and startup"
Sleep-Progress 60

##Configure network interfaces
$key_wait_time="2"
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "vmx3" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "vmx1" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "y" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

#Sometimes the configurator gets stuck here for a while, let's wait enough time
Sleep-Progress  240

#Configure LAN Interface
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "2" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "2" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput $lan_IP -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "24" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Sleep-Progress  $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Sleep-Progress  $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Sleep-Progress 10

#Configure WAN Interface
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "2" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "1" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput $wan_IP -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "24" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput $gtw_IP -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "y" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Sleep-Progress  $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "n" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Sleep-Progress  $key_wait_time

#Install Sudo
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "8" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "pkg install pfSense-pkg-sudo" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep 5
Set-VMKeystrokes -VMName $PfSenseVM -StringInput "y" -ReturnCarriage:$true ;Start-Sleep -Milliseconds $key_wait_time

##DONE

 

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