multi-line content= construct for puppet resource file command

[Robert Citek]

Hello all,

How does one enter multi-line content using 'puppet resource file ...'
at the command line?

For example, I am trying to create a file called /tmp/hw.txt with two
lines of content:

$ cat /tmp/hw.txt
hello
world

This does not work:

$ puppet resource file hello_world \
path=/tmp/hw.txt \
ensure=file \
content="hello\nworld\n"

This does, but use "puppet apply" :

cat <<"eof" | puppet apply
file { "hello_world":
path => "/tmp/hw.txt",
ensure => "file",
content => "hello\nworld\n",
}
eof

Does anyone have any pointers on how to construct the content= line so
that I can get two lines of text?

Regards,
- Robert

[Felix Frank]

Hi,

at first glance, it doesn't seem to be possible.

I had never thought of using puppet resource in this way. Is there a
reason why you prefer it over puppet apply?

[Robert Citek]

Just preference and consistency. We've been using puppet as a
substitute for shell commands that use the 'command [options]
arguments ... ' pattern and 'puppet resource ...' matches that
pattern nicely. But if by using here-documents we can match the
pattern pretty closely and we gain the additional functionality, we'll
go that way.

Using 'puppet apply' with a here-document ....

puppet apply <<"eof"

file { "hello_world":
path => "/tmp/hw.txt",
ensure => "file",
content => "hello\nworld\n",
}
eof

... looks pretty close to using arguments to 'puppet resource' ...

$ puppet resource \
file hello_world \
path=/tmp/hw.txt \
ensure=file \
content="hello\nworld\n"

... but actually works. :)

Regards,
- Robert

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[Massimiliano Adamo]

Il giorno mercoledì 6 marzo 2013 07:49:44 UTC+1, Robert Citek ha scritto:

Hello all,

How does one enter multi-line content using 'puppet resource file ...'
at the command line?

For example, I am trying to create a file called /tmp/hw.txt with two
lines of content:

$ cat /tmp/hw.txt
hello
world

This does not work:

$ puppet resource file hello_world \
  path=/tmp/hw.txt \
  ensure=file \
  content="hello\nworld\n"

one of the following will work (or either both):

content => inline_template('<%= "hello" + "\n" + "world" %>'),

content => inline_template('<%= "hello\nworld" %>'),

 

[jcbollinger]

You did not say exactly what "does not work" means, but I suppose the problem is that you get literal "\n" in the file instead of newlines.  The shell will not convert those when you execute the specific command you presented, and I guess Puppet expects to receive a literal value.  In that case, this is more a shell problem than a Puppet problem, and probably it can be solved via the shell.  Details vary depending on which shell you are using, but there are multiple possibilities, among them:

1. Include literal newlines in your parameter instead of "\n".  In bash, at least, this works as long as the newlines are quoted.  For example:

$ puppet resource file hello_world \
path=/tmp/hw.txt \
ensure=file \
content=

"hello
world
"

2. Use the shell's form for C-style escapes.  In bash, that would be:

$ puppet resource file hello_world \
path=/tmp/hw.txt \
ensure=file \

content=$'hello\nworld\n'

3. Obtain the wanted value as the output of a command.  In bash, that would be:

$ puppet resource file hello_world \
path=/tmp/hw.txt \
ensure=file \

content="`echo -e 'hello\nworld'`"

(By itself, however, this last alternative cannot produce a trailing newline in the content, as shell command substitution eats those.)


John