"podman machine start" should start default machine "defaultmachine" parameter from "podman machine info"

[kgfathur]

Feature request description

When running command podman machine start/stop/ssh/inspect without the machine name, it's always set the default machine to be executed to podman-machine-default.

I am not sure is this a same behavior on Linux/Mac also. On Linux, I am using native podman on the OS/Host, never try the podman with qemu/kvm backend on Linux. When initialize podman on windows (podman machine on top WSL), the default machine is "podman-machine-default".

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine list
NAME        VM TYPE     CREATED     LAST UP     CPUS        MEMORY      DISK SIZE
PS C:\Users\user>
PS C:\Users\user>
PS C:\Users\user> podman machine init
Extracting compressed file: podman-machine-default-amd64: done
Importing operating system into WSL (this may take a few minutes on a new WSL install)...
Import in progress, this may take a few minutes.
The operation completed successfully.
Configuring system...
Machine init complete
To start your machine run:

        podman machine start

PS C:\Users\user>

# This also create WSL instance on the host
PS C:\Users\thur> wsl -l -v
  NAME                      STATE           VERSION
* podman-machine-default    Stopped         2

It's actually running without no issue.

However, when we create single/multiple podman machines with custom name. The podman machine ... command not works to execute podman machine related command on the customized podman machine's name. Even if we set the defaultmachine to other podman machine.

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine init podman
Extracting compressed file: podman-amd64: done
Importing operating system into WSL (this may take a few minutes on a new WSL install)...
Import in progress, this may take a few minutes.
The operation completed successfully.
Configuring system...
Machine init complete
To start your machine run:

        podman machine start podman

PS C:\Users\user>

Default machine is podman-machine-default as expected:

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine list
NAME                     VM TYPE     CREATED         LAST UP     CPUS        MEMORY      DISK SIZE
podman-machine-default*  wsl         55 seconds ago  Never       10          2GiB        100GiB
podman                   wsl         25 seconds ago  Never       10          2GiB        100GiB

PS C:\Users\user> podman system connection list
Name                         URI                                                          Identity                                                      Default     ReadWrite
podman                       ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-machine-default       ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  true        true
podman-machine-default-root  ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-root                  ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine info
host:
    arch: amd64
    currentmachine: podman-machine-default
    defaultmachine: podman-machine-default
    eventsdir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\podman
    machineconfigdir: C:\Users\user\.config\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machineimagedir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machinestate: Stopped
    numberofmachines: 2
    os: windows
    vmtype: wsl
version:
    apiversion: 5.1.2
    version: 5.1.2
    goversion: go1.22.5
    gitcommit: 94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9
    builttime: Wed Jul 10 22:01:39 2024
    built: 1720623699
    osarch: windows/amd64
    os: windows


PS C:\Users\user> wsl -l -v
  NAME                      STATE           VERSION
* podman-machine-default    Stopped         2
  podman                    Stopped         2

Then we try to change the default podman machine/connection.

PS C:\Users\user> podman system connection default podman

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine list
NAME                    VM TYPE     CREATED        LAST UP             CPUS        MEMORY      DISK SIZE
podman-machine-default  wsl         4 minutes ago  About a minute ago  10          2GiB        100GiB
podman*                 wsl         3 minutes ago  Never               10          2GiB        100GiB

PS C:\Users\user> podman system connection list
Name                         URI                                                          Identity                                                      Default     ReadWrite
podman                       ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  true        true
podman-machine-default       ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-machine-default-root  ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-root                  ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine info
host:
    arch: amd64
    currentmachine: podman
    defaultmachine: podman
    eventsdir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\podman
    machineconfigdir: C:\Users\user\.config\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machineimagedir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machinestate: Stopped
    numberofmachines: 2
    os: windows
    vmtype: wsl
version:
    apiversion: 5.1.2
    version: 5.1.2
    goversion: go1.22.5
    gitcommit: 94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9
    builttime: Wed Jul 10 22:01:39 2024
    built: 1720623699
    osarch: windows/amd64
    os: windows

Change the default podman machine/connection:

# Set default podman connection
PS C:\Users\user> podman system connection default podman

# verify the default machine/connection
PS C:\Users\user> podman machine list
NAME                    VM TYPE     CREATED        LAST UP             CPUS        MEMORY      DISK SIZE
podman-machine-default  wsl         4 minutes ago  About a minute ago  10          2GiB        100GiB
podman*                 wsl         3 minutes ago  Never               10          2GiB        100GiB

# List connection
PS C:\Users\user> podman system connection list
Name                         URI                                                          Identity                                                      Default     ReadWrite
podman                       ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  true        true
podman-machine-default       ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock  C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-machine-default-root  ssh://[email protected]:63091/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true
podman-root                  ssh://[email protected]:63102/run/podman/podman.sock            C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\machine  false       true

# Verify `defaultmachine` has been set to expected value
PS C:\Users\user> podman machine info
host:
    arch: amd64
    currentmachine: podman
    defaultmachine: podman
    eventsdir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\podman
    machineconfigdir: C:\Users\user\.config\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machineimagedir: C:\Users\user\.local\share\containers\podman\machine\wsl
    machinestate: Stopped
    numberofmachines: 2
    os: windows
    vmtype: wsl
version:
    apiversion: 5.1.2
    version: 5.1.2
    goversion: go1.22.5
    gitcommit: 94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9
    builttime: Wed Jul 10 22:01:39 2024
    built: 1720623699
    osarch: windows/amd64
    os: windows

However, even the defaultmachine parameter from podman machine info command output has been set to the expected value, the default machine started using podman machine start command still refering to the podman-machine-default:

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine start
Starting machine "podman-machine-default"

This machine is currently configured in rootless mode. If your containers
require root permissions (e.g. ports < 1024), or if you run into compatibility
issues with non-podman clients, you can switch using the following command:

        podman machine set --rootful

API forwarding listening on: npipe:////./pipe/docker_engine

Docker API clients default to this address. You do not need to set DOCKER_HOST.
Machine "podman-machine-default" started successfully

Podman machine with custom name still need to be specified as parameter to start, stop, ssh the machine:

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine start podman
Starting machine "podman"

This machine is currently configured in rootless mode. If your containers
require root permissions (e.g. ports < 1024), or if you run into compatibility
issues with non-podman clients, you can switch using the following command:

        podman machine set --rootful podman

API forwarding listening on: npipe:////./pipe/podman

Another process was listening on the default Docker API pipe address.
You can still connect Docker API clients by setting DOCKER HOST using the
following powershell command in your terminal session:

        $Env:DOCKER_HOST = 'npipe:////./pipe/podman'

Or in a classic CMD prompt:

        set DOCKER_HOST=npipe:////./pipe/podman

Alternatively, terminate the other process and restart podman machine.
Machine "podman" started successfully

Other podman machine ... command still executed to podman-machine-default:

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine ls
NAME                    VM TYPE     CREATED         LAST UP            CPUS        MEMORY      DISK SIZE
podman*                 wsl         32 minutes ago  Currently running  10          2GiB        100GiB
podman-machine-default  wsl         33 minutes ago  Currently running  10          2GiB        100GiB

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine ssh
Connecting to vm podman-machine-default. To close connection, use `~.` or `exit`
Last login: Sun Jul 21 14:04:44 2024 from ::1
[user@host ~]$
[user@host ~]$ podman version
WARN[0000] Using cgroups-v1 which is deprecated in favor of cgroups-v2 with Podman v5 and will be removed in a future version. Set environment variable `PODMAN_IGNORE_CGROUPSV1_WARNING` to hide this warning.
Client:       Podman Engine
Version:      5.1.1
API Version:  5.1.1
Go Version:   go1.22.3
Built:        Tue Jun  4 07:00:00 2024
OS/Arch:      linux/amd64

Changing the default wsl seem not related to this behavior:

PS C:\Users\user> wsl -l -v
  NAME                      STATE           VERSION
* podman-machine-default    Running         2
  podman                    Running         2

PS C:\Users\user> wsl --set-default podman
The operation completed successfully.

PS C:\Users\user> wsl -l -v
  NAME                      STATE           VERSION
* podman                    Running         2
  podman-machine-default    Running         2

PS C:\Users\user> podman machine ssh
Connecting to vm podman-machine-default. To close connection, use `~.` or `exit`
Last login: Sun Jul 21 14:05:21 2024 from ::1
[user@dunia ~]$
[user@dunia ~]$ podman -v
podman version 5.1.1

Suggest potential solution

The podman machine cotext when podman machine start/stop/ssh/inspect command executed without machine name will be set to machine based on defaultmachine value from podman machine info

Have you considered any alternatives?

No response

Additional context

No response

[kgfathur]

I am not a Golang developer 😄 but the command behavior seems related to this snippet:

Default machine for podman machine start command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/start.go#L45-L53

Default machine for podman machine stop command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/stop.go#L37-L45

Default machine for podman machine ssh command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/ssh.go#L63-L83

Default machine for podman machine inspect command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/inspect.go#L47-L57

Default machine for podman machine rm command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/rm.go#L49-L56

Default machine for podman machine set command: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/set.go#L90-L94

All of defaultMachineName variable from above code related to podman machine ... command seems referring to the hard-coded defaultMachineName = machine.DefaultMachineName in cmd/podman/machine/init.go https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/init.go#L21-L37

And the DefaultMachineName variable value is set to podman-machine-default in pkg/machine/config.go https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/pkg/machine/config.go#L23-L26

However, the podman machine info seem have different (expected) behavior to get the value for defaultmachine: https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/94a24974ab345324db1a1489c924af4b89d2d0e9/cmd/podman/machine/info.go#L114-L150

I am not sure is this a kind of bug or expected behavior.

[jakecorrenti]

this seems like a bug to me

WDYT @Luap99 @ashley-cui

[Luap99]

What part? My understanding is that name is hard coded for the cli parsing for machine commands.

The normal remote client uses connections so it uses whatever is set as default connection, this is completely unrelated to machines. Using the remote client does not need any machines at all.

So is the question is why does machine info uses connection to show the default? Then I don't know but machine ls does the same AFAIK.

[jakecorrenti]

sorry I definitely wasn't clear... I meant it seemed odd to me that machine info was using system connections to determine the default when the other commands determined that differently

[github-actions[bot]]

A friendly reminder that this issue had no activity for 30 days.

[rhatdan]

This one seems to have gotten lost, do we need to just fix podman machine info to show the default connection?

[jakecorrenti]

This one seems to have gotten lost, do we need to just fix podman machine info to show the default connection?

Yes. I can fix it

[ashley-cui]

Info does show the default connection? I don't think this is a bug, as info is designed to show the state of the system, and the default connection is much more relevant than just showing "podman-machine-info"

[jakecorrenti]

Shouldn't the defaultmachine section always show podman-machine-default since that's technically the default machine we would try and run if the user didn't specify a name?

If the default system connection is set to something that isn't associated with a podman machine then defaultmachine just shows "" which a little confusing considering there technically is a default

[ashley-cui]

I guess it's a naming issue then? IMO displaying podman-machine-default in podman machine info doesn't make sense because it doesn't give the user more info. The behavior of knowing what machine your connection is going to speak to is useful, and what machine is running is useful. Maybe it should be something like machineactiveconnection? or something like that?

[jakecorrenti]

A name change sounds like a good way to go about this. machineactiveconnection works for me as well

[jakecorrenti]

Hi @kgfathur!

For the foreseeable future the current behavior will remain. I do want to clarify that defaultmachine in the podman machine info output is not meant to suggest you are able to set a "default" podman machine. The default podman machine will always be podman-machine-default. defaultmachine is intended to specify, if it exists, the current default system connection that is associated with a podman machine.

In order to make this clearer, I updated the podman machine info manpages to outline this information. (https://github.com/containers/podman/pull/23841)

For the next major podman release, the idea is to change the name to something along the lines of activemachineconnection to better describe its behavior.

I'm going to leave this issue open so we can track it for the next release. Thanks for filing your issue!