updating objects - only give fields to change

[zatroa]

when updating an object (e.g. Icinga Host), is there a way to specify only the fields that should change?

for example:

• name: icinga host sync

  hosts: test.host.tld
  tasks:

  • name: icinga - host update
    t_systems_mms.icinga_director.icinga_host:
    state: present
    url: "{{ lookup('env', 'ICINGA_URL') }}"
    url_username: "{{ lookup('env', 'ICINGA_USERNAMEURL') }}"
    url_password: "{{ lookup('env', 'ICINGA_PASSWORD') }}"
    object_name: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
    display_name: "to be changed`

reports the error that the "imports" section is missing, but I only want to change the "display_name":

TASK [icinga - host update] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** fatal: [test.host.tld]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "state is present but all of the following are missing: imports"}

[rndmh3ro]

We already had a discussion about updating/appending to objects here: https://github.com/T-Systems-MMS/ansible-collection-icinga-director/issues/96

Check @schurzi's solution for this out: https://github.com/T-Systems-MMS/ansible-collection-icinga-director/issues/96#issuecomment-770026563

Though maybe I'll have to think about my opinion again, if it seems that people need that functionality.. Let's keep this ticket open.

[zatroa]

First let me thank you for your great work. the ansible icinga collection is very helpful!

@schurzi's solution / workaround works for us too.
However, it is indeed not very elegant.
For example, if I forget to explicitly pass a newly added field when updating, it will be removed.
Or if a field is not always set, an error occurs quickly. For example, the field "display_name" is not always set, then the following error occurs:

fatal: [host.tld]: FAILED! => {"msg": "The task includes an option with an undefined variable. The error was: 'dict object' has no attribute 'display_name'\n\nThe error appears to be in '/home/ansible/sysadm/playbooks/icinga_test.yml': line 18, column 5, but may be elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem.\n\nThe offending line appears to be:\n\n msg: "{{ result.objects[0] }}"\n - name: icinga - host update\n ^ here\n"}

In my opinion we don't need a complete delta logic, it would be perfectly sufficient to just specify the parameters which should be changed / overwritten.

[rndmh3ro]

The branch "append" has an initial solution for the icinga_host module.

This works. Notice that in the second task, there is no "address", but an "append: true".

- name: Create a host in icinga
  t_systems_mms.icinga_director.icinga_host:
    state: present
    url: "{{ icinga_url }}"
    url_username: "{{ icinga_user }}"
    url_password: "{{ icinga_pass }}"
    object_name: "foohosta"
    address: "127.0.0.1"
    imports:
      - "foohosttemplate"

- name: Create a host in icinga
  t_systems_mms.icinga_director.icinga_host:
    state: present
    url: "{{ icinga_url }}"
    url_username: "{{ icinga_user }}"
    url_password: "{{ icinga_pass }}"
    display_name: "foohosta"
    object_name: "foohosta"
    append: True

first task:

second task:

Without "append: true":

---
- name: Create a host in icinga
  t_systems_mms.icinga_director.icinga_host:
    state: present
    url: "{{ icinga_url }}"
    url_username: "{{ icinga_user }}"
    url_password: "{{ icinga_pass }}"
    object_name: "foohostb"
    address: "127.0.0.1"
    imports:
      - "foohosttemplate"

- name: Create a host in icinga
  t_systems_mms.icinga_director.icinga_host:
    state: present
    url: "{{ icinga_url }}"
    url_username: "{{ icinga_user }}"
    url_password: "{{ icinga_pass }}"
    display_name: "foohosta"
    object_name: "foohostb"
    append: False

First task:

Second task:

[zatroa]

the branch works fine for me too. i think this is a good solution.
Thanks for the quick support.

[rndmh3ro]

Hi @zatroa, we implemented the append-function here for all modules: https://github.com/T-Systems-MMS/ansible-collection-icinga-director/pull/153

I'd be glad f you would test it and give feedback.