question about mode=preserve with file module

[Martey Dodoo]

Hi everyone,

I'm having some issues using the "mode" parameter on the file module to change ownership of an existing directory without modifying its permissions. For example:

> - name: use preserve mode

>   file:

>     path=/tmp/test

>     owner=www-data

>     mode=preserve

>     state=directory

>   become: true

Based on the documentation, I would assume that this would "preserve" the directory's existing permissions while changing its owner. Instead, it fails with "mode must be in octal or symbolic form" / "bad symbolic permission for mode: preserve".

I've managed to get the behavior I need by using an empty string for the mode parameter, but I am unsure why "preserve" doesn't work. Is this a bug in the file module? Am I reading the documentation wrong?

Thanks,

Martey

[Dick Visser]

Not sure it makes any difference but can you try to use the colon yaml syntax for the parameters

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[Martey Dodoo]

Not sure it makes any difference but can you try to use the colon yaml syntax for the parameters

Using standard YAML syntax instead of key=value displays the same error message. 

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Martey Dodoo

Principal Developer, Mobolic

https://mobolic.com

[Dick Visser]

ansible --version?

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[Stefan Hornburg (Racke)]

On 8/20/20 9:34 PM, Martey Dodoo wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm having some issues using the "mode" parameter on the file module

> <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/file_module.html#parameter-mode> to change ownership of an existing

> directory without modifying its permissions. For example:
>
>> - name: use preserve mode
>>   file:
>>     path=/tmp/test
>>     owner=www-data
>>     mode=preserve
>>     state=directory
>>   become: true
>
> Based on the documentation, I would assume that this would "preserve" the directory's existing permissions while
> changing its owner. Instead, it fails with "mode must be in octal or symbolic form" / "bad symbolic permission for mode:
> preserve".
>
> I've managed to get the behavior I need by using an empty string for the mode parameter, but I am unsure why "preserve"
> doesn't work. Is this a bug in the file module? Am I reading the documentation wrong?

Hello Martey,

my reading of the documentation is that "preserve" applies only when you are using the "src" parameter. For example when
you are creating a symlink.

Regards
Racke

>
> Thanks,
> Martey
>
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[wne...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, August 20, 2020 at 9:34:20 PM UTC+2 Martey Dodoo wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm having some issues using the "mode" parameter on the file module to change ownership of an existing directory without modifying its permissions. For example:

> - name: use preserve mode

>   file:

>     path=/tmp/test

>     owner=www-data

>     mode=preserve

>     state=directory

>   become: true

Based on the documentation, I would assume that this would "preserve" the directory's existing permissions while changing its owner. Instead, it fails with "mode must be in octal or symbolic form" / "bad symbolic permission for mode: preserve". 

...

have a look at this comment

https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/71377#issuecomment-677892112

according to that comment, it is not intended to work with file. 

kind regards, markus

[Vladimir Botka]

Martey,

On Thu, 20 Aug 2020 12:34:20 -0700 (PDT)
Martey Dodoo <mar...@mobolic.com> wrote:

> ... the "mode" parameter on the file module to change ownership of

> an existing directory without modifying its permissions. For
> example:
>
> - name: use preserve mode
> file:
> path=/tmp/test
> owner=www-data
> mode=preserve
> state=directory
> become: true

When "state=directory" the parameter mode says "The permissions the
resulting file or directory should have". There is no reason to use
"mode=preserve" if you don't want to change the mode. Simply remove
the line

- name: use preserve mode
file:
path=/tmp/test
owner=www-data

state=directory
become: true

--
Vladimir Botka