How to mount local volumes in docker machine

Question

I am trying to use docker-machine with docker-compose. The file docker-compose.yml has definitions as follows:

web:
  build: .
  command: ./run_web.sh
  volu         


        

Answer 1

Finally figured out how to upgrade Windows Docker Toolbox to v1.12.5 and keep my volumes working by adding a shared folder in Oracle VM VirtualBox manager and disabling path conversion. If you have Windows 10+ then you're best to use the newer Docker for Windows.

1st the upgrade Pain:

1. Uninstall VirtualBox first.
   • Yep that may break stuff in other tools like Android Studio. Thanks Docker :(
2. Install new version of Docker Toolbox.

Redis Database Example: redis: image: redis:alpine container_name: redis ports: - "6379" volumes: - "/var/db/redis:/data:rw"

In Docker Quickstart Terminal ....

1. run docker-machine stop default - Ensure VM is haulted

In Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager ...

2. Added a shared folder in default VM via or command line
   • D:\Projects\MyProject\db => /var/db

In docker-compose.yml...

3. Mapped redis volume as: "/var/db/redis:/data:rw"

In Docker Quickstart Terminal ....

4. Set COMPOSE_CONVERT_WINDOWS_PATHS=0 (for Toolbox version >= 1.9.0)
5. run docker-machine start default to restart the VM.
6. cd D:\Projects\MyProject\
7. docker-compose up should work now.

Now creates redis database in D:\Projects\MyProject\db\redis\dump.rdb

Why avoid relative host paths?

I avoided relative host paths for Windows Toolbox as they may introduce invalid '\' chars. It's not as nice as using paths relative to docker-compose.yml but at least my fellow developers can easily do it even if their project folder is elsewhere without having to hack the docker-compose.yml file (bad for SCM).

Original Issue

FYI ... Here is the original error I got when I used nice clean relative paths that used to work just fine for older versions. My volume mapping used to be just "./db/redis:/data:rw"

ERROR: for redis Cannot create container for service redis: Invalid bind mount spec "D:\\Projects\\MyProject\\db\\redis:/data:rw": Invalid volume specification: 'D:\Projects\MyProject\db\redis:/data

This breaks for two reasons ..

1. It can't access D: drive
2. Volume paths can't include \ characters
   • docker-compose adds them and then blames you for it !!
   • Use COMPOSE_CONVERT_WINDOWS_PATHS=0 to stop this nonsense.

I recommend documenting your additional VM shared folder mapping in your docker-compose.yml file as you may need to uninstall VirtualBox again and reset the shared folder and anyway your fellow devs will love you for it.