Organizing files in subdirectories at role-level

[tcrass]

Hi there,

I wonder how (if at all) it was possible to refer to files in subdirectories of a role's "file" folder when using modules like "copy" and the like.

To clarify, let's assume we have a directory layout like this:

root/
- main.yaml
- files/
  - foo.txt
  - bar/
    - baz.txt
- roles/
  - mumbo/
    - files/
      - foo.txt
      - bar/
        - baz.txt
    - tasks/
      - main.yaml

Now within root/main.yaml, I can refer to root/files/bar/baz.txt like

  - name: copy bar/baz.txt to host
    copy:
      - src: files/bar/baz.txt
      - dest: /some/path/baz.txt

When, however, I include the "mumbo" role in root/main.yaml and I try to refer to root/roles/mumbo/files/bar/baz.txt from within the root/roles/mumbo/tasks/main.yaml file in a similar fashion, i.e. like

  - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
    copy:
      - src: files/bar/baz.txt
      - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt

or

  - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
    copy:
      - src: ../files/bar/baz.txt
      - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt

ansible complains that it is unable to locate the source file. It is possible, though, to refer to files residing directly in the root/roles/mumbo/files folder:

  - name: copy foo.txt to mumbo host
    copy:
      - src: foo.txt
      - dest: /yet/another/path/foo.txt

works like a charm.

So am I missing something or is it really not possible to organize files in subdirectories?

Cheers --

Torsten

[Kai Stian Olstad]

On 23. sep. 2017 16:23, tcrass wrote:
> When, however, I include the "mumbo" role in root/main.yaml and I try to
> refer to root/roles/mumbo/files/bar/baz.txt from within the
> root/roles/mumbo/tasks/main.yaml file in a similar fashion, i.e. like
>
> - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
> copy:
> - src: files/bar/baz.txt
> - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt
>
> or
>
> - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
> copy:
> - src: ../files/bar/baz.txt
> - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt
>

Roles in Ansible has the concept of files, so copy will automatically be
looking in files, so just use

src: bar/baz.txt


--
Kai Stian Olstad

[tcrass]

Kai,

Roles in Ansible has the concept of files, so copy will automatically be
looking in files, so just use

src: bar/baz.txt

sorry, I just new I'd screw up formulating my post... In fact, I had tried this already from within root/roles/mumbo/tasks/main.yaml:

   - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
     copy:

       - src: bar/baz.txt
       - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt

Again, ansible compained about not finding the desired file.

Am I missing something, or is ansible incapable of referring to files living in a subdirectory in a role's "files" folder?

Cheers --

Torsten

[Kai Stian Olstad]

On 23. sep. 2017 17:41, tcrass wrote:
> Kai,
>
> Roles in Ansible has the concept of files, so copy will automatically be
>> looking in files, so just use
>>
>> src: bar/baz.txt
>>
>

> sorry, I just *new* I'd screw up formulating my post... In fact, I had

> tried this already from within root/roles/mumbo/tasks/main.yaml:
>
> - name: copy bar/baz.txt to mumbo host
> copy:
> - src: bar/baz.txt
> - dest: /some/other/path/baz.txt
>
> Again, ansible compained about not finding the desired file.
>
> Am I missing something, or is ansible incapable of referring to files
> living in a subdirectory in a role's "files" folder?

This is a feature that is being used a lot, but in you case the syntax
is not correct so I would think you get all sort of error messages.

You need to remove the dash in front of src: and dest:


--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Kai Stian Olstad]

Please keep the conversation on the list by reply to the list and not to
me personally.

On 23. sep. 2017 20:01, Torsten Crass wrote:
>> This is a feature that is being used a lot, but in you case the syntax
>> is not correct so I would think you get all sort of error messages.
>>
>> You need to remove the dash in front of src: and dest:
>

> Sigh, one more typo I introduced when making up this example... Of
> course, I originally didn't have hyphens in front of the yaml dictionary
> keys.
>
> No, ansible did explicitly complain about not finding a file inside a
> "files" subdirectory. Here's the original task that causes trouble:
>
>   - name: copy gerbera build script
>     become: true
>     copy:
>       src: usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh
>       dest: usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh
>       mode: ug+x
>
> This task lives in my root/roles/gerbera_server/tasks/main.yaml (with
> "root" denoting the root of the whole ansible project), while the source
> file lives in root/roles/gerbera_server/files/files/usr/local/src/gerbera/

Ansible is searching roles/gerbera_server/files
you have files two times, then you need to use
src: files/usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh

Your dest: is relative, that will probably fail, since it will be
relative to where you run ansible-playbook.


> When calling the gerbera_server role from my root/main.yaml file, I get:
>
> TASK [gerbera_server : copy gerbera build script]
> ******************************
> fatal: [priamos]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "failed": true, "msg":
> "Unable to find 'usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh' in expected
> paths."}
>
> You're absolutely positive that paths relative to a role's "files"
> folder should work?

Yes, using the feature all the time.


--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Torsten Crass]

> Please keep the conversation on the list by reply to the list and not to
> me personally.

Sorry, intended to, don't know why it didn't work... Hope it works this
time!

>> No, ansible did explicitly complain about not finding a file inside a "files" subdirectory. Here's the original task that causes trouble:
>>
>> - name: copy gerbera build script
>> become: true
>> copy:
>> src: usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh
>> dest: usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh
>> mode: ug+x
>>
>> This task lives in my root/roles/gerbera_server/tasks/main.yaml (with "root" denoting the root of the whole ansible project), while the source file lives in root/roles/gerbera_server/files/files/usr/local/src/gerbera/
>
> Ansible is searching roles/gerbera_server/files
> you have files two times, then you need to use
> src: files/usr/local/src/gerbera/build-gerbera.sh

Oh my goodness! How could that happen -- didn't realize I accidently had
an additional "files" folder within "files"! Thanks a thousand times for
pointing that out -- after fixing that, it works as expected.

Cheers --

Torsten