[Bug] output_template not used

[rndmh3ro]

Regarding the use of templates.

I have created a configuration file with the following content:

---
output_template: |
  <!-- BEGIN_ANSIBLE_DOCS -->

  This is my role: {{ role }}

  <!-- Including files is also possible in relation to the role's directory with Jinja2's include directive -->
  {% include "defaults/main.yml" %}

  <!-- 'argument_specs' contains all the things in meta/argument_specs.yml -->
  {% for entrypoint, specs in argument_specs | items %}
  Task file name: {{ entrypoint }}.yml has {{ specs | length }} input variables!
  {% endfor %}
  <!-- END_ANSIBLE_DOCS -->

And use it with the following command:
python -m aar_doc.cli --output-file someoutput.md --config-file=/path/to/configuration/file/config.yaml /path/to/role markdown

Unfortunately, the generated file has the same content as without the configuration file.

Originally posted by @montaropdf in #66 (comment)

[rndmh3ro]

@montaropdf I just tested this locally and for me it works.

It creates a new file someoutput.md in the role's folder:

> head !$
head roles/os_hardening/someoutput.md
<!-- BEGIN_ANSIBLE_DOCS -->

This is my role: devsec.hardening.os_hardening

<!-- Including files is also possible in relation to the role's directory with Jinja2's include directive -->
---
os_desktop_enable: false
os_env_user_paths: [/usr/local/sbin, /usr/local/bin, /usr/sbin, /usr/bin, /sbin, /bin]
os_env_extra_user_paths: []
os_auth_pw_max_age: 60

Is there any other option in the config.yaml?

[montaropdf]

No this is the only option in the file.

[montaropdf]

As a side note, I encounter the following issue while testing again with the template option in the configuration:

[dev@2004L14EDCF Automated-Ansible-Role-Documentation-feature-meta_main]$ python -m aar_doc.cli --output-file=~/tmp/vast-doc2.md --config-file=~/repos/sftp-automation/aar-doc.config.yaml  ~/repos/sftp-automati
on/roles/sshd markdown
╭────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Traceback (most recent call last) ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ /home/dev/tmp/Automated-Ansible-Role-Documentation-feature-meta_main/aar_doc/cli.py:46 in markdown                                                                                                            │
│                                                                                                                                                                                                               │
│    43 │                                                                                        ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────── locals ─────────────────────────────────────────────────╮   │
│    44 │   # FIXME: ctx should not be passed to these non-command()'s                           │ content = '<!-- BEGIN_ANSIBLE_DOCS -->\n# Ansible Role: sshd\n---\nblabla\n\n\n## Requirements\n--'+4965 │   │
│    45 │   content = render_content(ctx, "markdown.j2")                                         │     ctx = <click.core.Context object at 0x7f9bc0f7b110>                                                  │   │
│ ❱  46 │   write(ctx, content)                                                                  ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯   │
│    47                                                                                                                                                                                                         │
│    48                                                                                                                                                                                                         │
│    49 @app.callback()                                                                                                                                                                                         │
│                                                                                                                                                                                                               │
│ /home/dev/tmp/Automated-Ansible-Role-Documentation-feature-meta_main/aar_doc/cli.py:125 in write                                                                                                              │
│                                                                                                                                                                                                               │
│   122 │   if not output.exists():                                                              ╭───────────────────────────────────────────────── locals ─────────────────────────────────────────────────╮   │
│   123 │   │   ctx.obj["config"]["output_mode"] = OutputMode.replace                            │ content = '<!-- BEGIN_ANSIBLE_DOCS -->\n# Ansible Role: sshd\n---\nblabla\n\n\n## Requirements\n--'+4965 │   │
│   124 │                                                                                        │     ctx = <click.core.Context object at 0x7f9bc0f7b110>                                                  │   │
│ ❱ 125 │   with open(output, "a+") as f:                                                        │  output = PosixPath('~/tmp/vast-doc2.md')                                                                │   │
│   126 │   │   if ctx.obj["config"]["output_mode"] == OutputMode.inject:                        ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯   │
│   127 │   │   │   f.seek(0)                                                                                                                                                                                   │
│   128 │   │   │   lines = f.readlines()                                                                                                                                                                       │
╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '~/tmp/vast-doc2.md'

However, with --output-file=vast-doc2.md, I have no error and the file is generated inside the role directory. But, still with the default template for the markdown command.

[rndmh3ro]

Does the folder ~/tmp/ exist and you have access to it?

Can you do a ls -lsah ~/ | grep tmp?

[montaropdf]

I have performed further tests, the options --output-file and --config-file does not seems to expand the ~ character.

However, with absolute path, I got the below error.

aar_doc-error.txt

[rndmh3ro]

I have performed further tests, the options --output-file and --config-file does not seems to expand the ~ character.

This works for me.

However, with absolute path, I got the below error.

This seems related somehow since its not finding the template.

Can you answer these questions please?

• What kind of OS are you using?
• What Python version are you using?

[montaropdf]

I am using a Fedora 39 distribution on WSL.
My version of python is Python 3.12.4.

I don't run the tool inside a virtual environment I don't know if it could have an impact.

[rndmh3ro]

I am using a Fedora 39 distribution on WSL.

WSL could be the problem here. Do you have the possibility to test it on a non-WSL system?

In the meantime we'll try to reproduce it on WSL (I don't use Windows..)

[montaropdf]

Same problem on a RedHat Enterprise Linux 9 machine with Python 3.9.18.

[rndmh3ro]

Okay, I found the reason: pathlib.Path does not expand ~. Will push a fix.

[montaropdf]

With your fix, the ~ seems to be expanded, now. However, I still suffer from the error reported in this comment:

#69 (comment)

[rndmh3ro]

Does your role have a defaults/main.yml-file?

[montaropdf]

Not all of them.

[rndmh3ro]

In your output template you got this:

<!-- Including files is also possible in relation to the role's directory with Jinja2's include directive -->
  {% include "defaults/main.yml" %}

This part tries to include the defaults file. If it does not exist for a role, this will fail. Does this fail for roles where the defaults file exists?

[montaropdf]

It fails when defaults/main.yml is present too. Could it be due to the fact that I run the tool from its directory and not from the base directory of my playbooks?

[rndmh3ro]

Could it be due to the fact that I run the tool from its directory and not from the base directory of my playbooks?

No, this works for me.

I just tested it, even with an empty defaults/main.yml, it works. So I see three things here:

• Check if your file is called, defaults/main.yml and not defaults/main.yaml
• Provide a minimal reproduction role where its not working for you, so I can test it
• Don't include the defauits :)

[montaropdf]

When the file is called defaults/main.yml the tool does not report an error and generate the expected output.

So in the end for this issue it was a stupid CKI problem.