Container-View-Example.py

def _get_content(obj_type, property_list=None):
    # Get service instance object
    si = _get_si()

    # Refer to http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.wssdk.pg.doc_50%2FPG_Ch5_PropertyCollector.7.6.html for more information.

    # Create an object view
    obj_view = si.content.viewManager.CreateContainerView(si.content.rootFolder, [obj_type], True)

    # Create traversal spec to determine the path for collection
    traversal_spec = vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.TraversalSpec(
        name='traverseEntities',
        path='view',
        skip=False,
        type=vim.view.ContainerView
    )

    # Create property spec to determine properties to be retrieved
    property_spec = vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.PropertySpec(
        type=obj_type,
        all=True if not property_list else False,
        pathSet=property_list
    )

    # Create object spec to navigate content
    obj_spec = vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.ObjectSpec(
        obj=obj_view,
        skip=True,
        selectSet=[traversal_spec]
    )

    # Create a filter spec and specify object, property spec in it
    filter_spec = vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.FilterSpec(
        objectSet=[obj_spec],
        propSet=[property_spec],
        reportMissingObjectsInResults=False
    )

    # Retrieve the contents
    content = si.content.propertyCollector.RetrieveContents([filter_spec])

    # Destroy the object view
    obj_view.Destroy()

    return content