Lab-making capabilities¶

What can be authored in a Packet Tracer 9 .pkt by writing XML. All "verified" items were tested by generating a file and loading it in Packet Tracer.

Capability	Where in XML	Status
Device model & name	`<ENGINE><TYPE model=…>`, `<NAME>`	✅ verified
Logical position	`<WORKSPACE><LOGICAL><X>/<Y>`	✅ verified
Physical scene placement	`<WORKSPACE><PHYSICAL>`, `<PHYSICAL_CPUR>`	✅ (remap to existing node)
Power on/off	`<ENGINE><POWER>`	✅ verified
Modules	`<ENGINE><MODULE>/<SLOT>/<MODULE><MODEL>`	✅ verified
Copper cable	`<LINK><TYPE>eCopper`, `eStraightThrough`	✅ verified
Serial cable	`<LINK><TYPE>eSerial` + `DCEDEV/DCEPORT`	✅ cable loads
IOS running-config	`<ENGINE><RUNNINGCONFIG><LINE>`	✅ verified
End-device IP / DHCP	NIC `<PORT><IP>/<SUBNET>/<PORT_GATEWAY>/<PORT_DHCP_ENABLE>`	✅ verified
OS image / boot	`<OS_IMAGE>`, `<OS_FILE_NAME>`, config register	📖 read (set untested)
Wireless, AP/SSID, clusters	section-specific	📖 read

Tooling: tools/lab_api.py exposes the verified operations.

import lab_api
m  = lab_api.harvest_models("/opt/pt/saves", {"2911", "2960-24TT", "PC-PT"})
mod = lab_api.harvest_modules("/opt/pt/saves", {"HWIC-2T"})
lab = lab_api.Lab("seed.pkt", m, mod)

r  = lab.add_device("2911", "R1", 250, 350, install="HWIC-2T", bay=0,
                    ios_config=["interface GigabitEthernet0/0",
                                " ip address 192.168.9.1 255.255.255.0", " no shutdown", "end"])
sw = lab.add_device("2960-24TT", "SW1", 450, 350)
pc = lab.add_device("PC-PT", "PC1", 650, 350,
                    pc_ip=("192.168.9.10", "255.255.255.0", "192.168.9.1"))
lab.link(r, "GigabitEthernet0/0", sw, "GigabitEthernet1/0/1" if False else "GigabitEthernet0/1")
lab.link(sw, "FastEthernet0/1", pc, "FastEthernet0")
lab.save("lab.pkt")

1. Devices¶

<ENGINE><TYPE customModel="" model="MODEL">Label</TYPE> picks the model; harvested blocks give a ready-made instance (modules, ports, OS). Position is <WORKSPACE><LOGICAL><X>/<Y>; physical placement is a scene path (see SCENE_GRAPH.md §2).

2. Power¶

<ENGINE><POWER>true|false</POWER>. Setting false powers the device off at load (verified: the attached link drops).

3. Modules¶

An installed module is a slot subtree:

<SLOT>
  <TYPE>eInterfaceCard</TYPE>
  <MODULE>
    <TYPE>eInterfaceCard</TYPE>
    <MODEL>HWIC-2T</MODEL>
    <PORT>…</PORT><PORT>…</PORT>
  </MODULE>
</SLOT>

Install by replacing an empty bay — a <SLOT> whose <TYPE> is eInterfaceCard and which has no <MODULE> — with the module's slot subtree (clone it from any device that has it; refresh the port MACs).

Interface names come from the bay position: on a 2911, an HWIC-2T in bay 0/0 yields Serial0/0/0 and Serial0/0/1 (confirmed against configured labs). A per-model bay catalogue (which bays exist and which module families fit) is in packet-tracer-mcp/src/catalog/router-slots.ts.

4. Cabling¶

Copper links are fully synthable:

<LINK><TYPE>eCopper</TYPE><CABLE>
  <LENGTH>1</LENGTH><FUNCTIONAL>true</FUNCTIONAL>
  <FROM>save-ref-id:…</FROM><PORT>GigabitEthernet0/1</PORT>
  <TO>save-ref-id:…</TO><PORT>FastEthernet0/1</PORT>
  <FROM_DEVICE_MEM_ADDR>…</FROM_DEVICE_MEM_ADDR><TO_DEVICE_MEM_ADDR>…</TO_DEVICE_MEM_ADDR>
  <FROM_PORT_MEM_ADDR>…</FROM_PORT_MEM_ADDR><TO_PORT_MEM_ADDR>…</TO_PORT_MEM_ADDR>
  <GEO_VIEW_COLOR>#6ba72e</GEO_VIEW_COLOR>
  <IS_MANAGED_IN_RACK_VIEW>false</IS_MANAGED_IN_RACK_VIEW>
  <TYPE>eStraightThrough</TYPE>
</CABLE></LINK>

Requirements: <FROM>/<TO> = device SAVE_REF_IDs, <PORT> names that exist on those devices, and a matching cable <TYPE>. The *_MEM_ADDR values are not validated (PT rebinds).

Serial uses <TYPE>eSerial</TYPE> with <FROM>/<TO> = device SAVE_REF_IDs and <DCEDEV>/<DCEPORT> naming the DCE end. lab_api.link(kind="serial", dce=...) now also sets the DCE port's <CLOCKRATE>/<CLOCKRATEFLAG>true/<POWER>true (and both ends CLOCKRATEFLAG=true, POWER=true) plus an IOS clock rate line. A generated serial link is byte-for-byte structurally identical to a real one; PT renders such links red on headless load even in the reference answer key, so colour is initial-state behaviour, not a generation defect.

5. Configuration¶

IOS devices: <RUNNINGCONFIG> inside <ENGINE>, one CLI command per <LINE>; applied on load. Long configs work (622 lines tested). See CONFIGURATION.md.
End devices: NIC <PORT> fields <IP>, <SUBNET>, <PORT_GATEWAY>, <PORT_DNS>, <PORT_DHCP_ENABLE>.

6. Load requirements (checklist)¶

unique <ENGINE>/<SAVE_REF_ID> per device;
unique MACADDRESS/BIA per port;
valid <PHYSICAL> scene placement;
every <LINK> endpoint resolves (id + existing port).

Violations produce "not compatible with this version of Cisco Packet Tracer" or "corrupted Physical Workspace data".