Qube Manager: Create dvm-templates

[comods]

Qubes OS version:

R4.0

Affected component(s):

dom0 Qube Manager, DVM-Template Qubes

---

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Create Qube.
Use console to change Qube into dvm-template.

Expected behavior:

1. qvm-features <vmname> appmenus-dispvm 1 shouldn't exist and is not needed.

• Instead if qvm-prefs <vmname> template_for_dispvms true then show in applications menu under both Disposable: and Template: (not Domain: but alternatively DTemplate: or DVMTemplate:)
• Template: is used for permanent updates but not app use.
• No where else does Qube Manager let you hide qubes from the applications menu. If it did, the feature shouldn't be tied to hiding an individual Disposable VM Template from permanent updates, but instead be a global setting that hides all services, templates, and dvm-templates. One way to implement this would be Applications menu: Hide Services/Templates qubes during routine app use #4005.

2. "is a Disposable VM Template" setting:
   Open "Qube Manager", right click a qube, "Qube Settings", Tab "Advanced".

• Add this setting as a checkbox: "is a Disposable VM Template" which runs:
• qvm-prefs <vmname> template_for_dispvms true (or false)
• If step 1 isn't implemented then qvm-features <vmname> appmenus-dispvm 1 (or 0)
• Maybe run qvm-prefs <vmname> default_dispvm <vmname> (to itself, not system default even if they are currently the same) then disable changing 'Default DispVM' from itself. This may be needed if it is too confusing for a dvm-template, when not manually instructed to, to spawn DispVM's from another dvm-template.

3. Create "AppVM (Disposable VM Template)" qube:
   Open "Qube Manager", Menu "Qube", "Create new qube".

• Add this option to Type dropdown, "AppVM (Disposable VM Template)" which runs:
• qvm-prefs <vmname> template_for_dispvms true
• If step 1 isn't implemented then qvm-features <vmname> appmenus-dispvm 1
• Maybe run qvm-prefs <vmname> default_dispvm <vmname> (to itself, not system default even if they are currently the same) then disable changing 'Default DispVM' from itself. This may be needed if it is too confusing for a dvm-template, when not manually instructed to, to spawn DispVM's from another dvm-template.

Actual behavior:

See "Steps to reproduce the behavior"

General notes:

---

Related issues:

[comods]

Displaying both "Disposable:" and "Template:/DVMTemplate:" are needed for easy GUI management of updates to the dvm-template while also able to easily open apps in DispVMs.

[andrewdavidwong]

Yes, there definitely needs to be a way to add Disposable: <dvm_template> Application Launcher shortcut entries like the default ones, since we expect users to create new DVM Templates (and users expect to be able to use them!). As far as I can tell, the only way to do that right now is to dig into the guts of the Xfce menu and create them manually.

[andrewdavidwong]

Oh, I just saw a hint in #4431 that qvm-features ... appmenus-dispvm 1 might be the way to create those menu entries. I also saw that command mentioned here, but with no explanation of what it does.

Suffice it to say that if the only way I learned of it was because I happened to stumble across two bug reports, the vast majority of users will never know about it. :)

[marmarek]

Take a look here: https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/disposablevm-customization/

[andrewdavidwong]

Take a look here: https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/disposablevm-customization/

Ok, fair enough. I should have found this.

However, the point still stands that there should be some kind of discoverable way to do this within the system, since it's expected to be a common task, and we have discoverable tools for other similar tasks.

[andrewdavidwong]

For example, even qvm-features --help doesn't hint that it's possible to do this. The user already has to know.

[qubesos-bot]

Automated announcement from builder-github

The package qubes-manager-4.0.29-1.fc25 has been pushed to the r4.0 testing repository for dom0.
To test this update, please install it with the following command:

sudo qubes-dom0-update --enablerepo=qubes-dom0-current-testing

Changes included in this update

[qubesos-bot]

Automated announcement from builder-github

The package qubes-manager-4.0.33-1.fc25 has been pushed to the r4.0 stable repository for dom0.
To install this update, please use the standard update command:

sudo qubes-dom0-update

Or update dom0 via Qubes Manager.

Changes included in this update