Add boot steps configuration option

builder/qemu/config.go

@@ -520,6 +520,46 @@ type Config struct {
 	//  * ARM: tpm-tis-device
 	//  * PPC (p-series): tpm-spapr
 	TPMType string `mapstructure:"tpm_device_type" required:"false"`
+	// This is an array of tuples of boot commands, to type when the virtual
+	// machine is booted. The first element of the tuple is the actual boot
+	// command. The second element of the tuple, which is optional, is a
+	// description of what the boot command does. This is intended to be used for
+	// interactive installers that requires many commands to complete the
+	// installation. Both the command and the description will be printed when
+	// logging is enabled. When debug mode is enabled Packer will pause after
+	// typing each boot command. This will make it easier to follow along the
+	// installation process and make sure the Packer and the installer are in
+	// sync. `boot_steps` and `boot_commands` are mutually exclusive.
+	//
+	// Example:
+	//
+	// In HCL:
+	// ```hcl
+	// boot_steps = [
+	//   ["1<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD"],
+	//   ["a<enter><wait5>", "Installation messages in English"],
+	//   ["a<enter><wait5>", "Keyboard type: unchanged"],
+	//
+	//   ["a<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD to hard disk"],
+	//   ["b<enter><wait5>", "Yes"]
+	// ]
+	// ```
+	//
+	// In JSON:
+	// ```json
+	// {
+	//   "boot_steps": [
+	//     ["1<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD"],
+	//     ["a<enter><wait5>", "Installation messages in English"],
+	//     ["a<enter><wait5>", "Keyboard type: unchanged"],
+	//
+	//     ["a<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD to hard disk"],
+	//     ["b<enter><wait5>", "Yes"]
+	//   ]
+	// }
+	// ```
+	BootSteps [][]string `mapstructure:"boot_steps" required:"false"`
+
 	// TODO(mitchellh): deprecate
 	RunOnce bool `mapstructure:"run_once"`
 
@@ -758,6 +798,11 @@ func (c *Config) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) ([]string, error) {
 			errs, fmt.Errorf("net_bridge is only supported in Linux based OSes"))
 	}
 
+	if len(c.BootCommand) > 0 && len(c.BootSteps) > 0 {
+		errs = packersdk.MultiErrorAppend(errs,
+			fmt.Errorf("boot_command and boot_steps cannot be used together"))
+	}
+
 	if c.NetBridge != "" || c.VNCUsePassword {
 		c.QMPEnable = true
 	}

builder/qemu/step_type_boot_command.go

@@ -35,6 +35,20 @@ type bootCommandTemplateData struct {
 type stepTypeBootCommand struct{}
 
 func (s *stepTypeBootCommand) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag) multistep.StepAction {
+	config := state.Get("config").(*Config)
+	command := config.VNCConfig.FlatBootCommand()
+	bootSteps := config.BootSteps
+
+	if len(command) > 0 {
+		bootSteps = [][]string{{command}}
+	}
+
+	return typeBootCommands(ctx, state, bootSteps)
+}
+
+func (*stepTypeBootCommand) Cleanup(multistep.StateBag) {}
+
+func typeBootCommands(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag, bootSteps [][]string) multistep.StepAction {
 	config := state.Get("config").(*Config)
 	debug := state.Get("debug").(bool)
 	httpPort := state.Get("http_port").(int)
@@ -105,35 +119,61 @@ func (s *stepTypeBootCommand) Run(ctx context.Context, state multistep.StateBag)
 
 	d := bootcommand.NewVNCDriver(c, config.VNCConfig.BootKeyInterval)
 
-	ui.Say("Typing the boot command over VNC...")
-	command, err := interpolate.Render(config.VNCConfig.FlatBootCommand(), &configCtx)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Error preparing boot command: %s", err)
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
+	ui.Say("Typing the boot commands over VNC...")
 
-	seq, err := bootcommand.GenerateExpressionSequence(command)
-	if err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Error generating boot command: %s", err)
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
+	for _, step := range bootSteps {
+		if len(step) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
 
-	if err := seq.Do(ctx, d); err != nil {
-		err := fmt.Errorf("Error running boot command: %s", err)
-		state.Put("error", err)
-		ui.Error(err.Error())
-		return multistep.ActionHalt
-	}
+		var description string
+
+		if len(step) >= 2 {
+			description = step[1]
+		} else {
+			description = ""
+		}
+
+		if len(description) > 0 {
+			ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("Typing boot command for: %s", description))
+		}
 
-	if pauseFn != nil {
-		pauseFn(multistep.DebugLocationAfterRun, fmt.Sprintf("boot_command: %s", command), state)
+		command, err := interpolate.Render(step[0], &configCtx)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Error preparing boot command: %s", err)
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			ui.Error(err.Error())
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+
+		seq, err := bootcommand.GenerateExpressionSequence(command)
+		if err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Error generating boot command: %s", err)
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			ui.Error(err.Error())
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+
+		if err := seq.Do(ctx, d); err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Error running boot command: %s", err)
+			state.Put("error", err)
+			ui.Error(err.Error())
+			return multistep.ActionHalt
+		}
+
+		if pauseFn != nil {
+			var message string
+
+			if len(description) > 0 {
+				message = fmt.Sprintf("boot description: \"%s\", command: %s", description, command)
+			} else {
+				message = fmt.Sprintf("boot_command: %s", command)
+			}
+
+			pauseFn(multistep.DebugLocationAfterRun, message, state)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }
-
-func (*stepTypeBootCommand) Cleanup(multistep.StateBag) {}

docs-partials/builder/qemu/Config-not-required.mdx

@@ -350,4 +350,43 @@
    * ARM: tpm-tis-device
    * PPC (p-series): tpm-spapr
 
+- `boot_steps` ([][]string) - This is an array of tuples of boot commands, to type when the virtual
+  machine is booted. The first element of the tuple is the actual boot
+  command. The second element of the tuple, which is optional, is a
+  description of what the boot command does. This is intended to be used for
+  interactive installers that requires many commands to complete the
+  installation. Both the command and the description will be printed when
+  logging is enabled. When debug mode is enabled Packer will pause after
+  typing each boot command. This will make it easier to follow along the
+  installation process and make sure the Packer and the installer are in
+  sync. `boot_steps` and `boot_commands` are mutually exclusive.
+
+  Example:
+
+  In HCL:
+  ```hcl
+  boot_steps = [
+    ["1<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD"],
+    ["a<enter><wait5>", "Installation messages in English"],
+    ["a<enter><wait5>", "Keyboard type: unchanged"],
+
+    ["a<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD to hard disk"],
+    ["b<enter><wait5>", "Yes"]
+  ]
+  ```
+
+  In JSON:
+  ```json
+  {
+    "boot_steps": [
+      ["1<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD"],
+      ["a<enter><wait5>", "Installation messages in English"],
+      ["a<enter><wait5>", "Keyboard type: unchanged"],
+
+      ["a<enter><wait5>", "Install NetBSD to hard disk"],
+      ["b<enter><wait5>", "Yes"]
+    ]
+  }
+  ```
+
 <!-- End of code generated from the comments of the Config struct in builder/qemu/config.go; -->