Fix file touch check mode result (#79360) (#79422)

Fixes #79360

changelogs/fragments/79422-fix-file-touch-check-mode-status.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - file - touch action in check mode was always returning ok. Fix now evaluates the different conditions and 
+    returns the appropriate changed status. (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/79360)

lib/ansible/modules/file.py

@@ -553,9 +553,14 @@ def execute_touch(path, follow, timestamps):
     mtime = get_timestamp_for_time(timestamps['modification_time'], timestamps['modification_time_format'])
     atime = get_timestamp_for_time(timestamps['access_time'], timestamps['access_time_format'])
 
-    if not module.check_mode:
+    # If the file did not already exist
     if prev_state == 'absent':
-            # Create an empty file if the filename did not already exist
+        # if we are in check mode and the file is absent
+        # we can set the changed status to True and return
+        if module.check_mode:
+            result['changed'] = True
+            return result
+        # Create an empty file
         try:
             open(b_path, 'wb').close()
             changed = True
@@ -563,7 +568,6 @@ def execute_touch(path, follow, timestamps):
             raise AnsibleModuleError(results={'msg': 'Error, could not touch target: %s'
                                               % to_native(e, nonstring='simplerepr'),
                                               'path': path})
-
     # Update the attributes on the file
     diff = initial_diff(path, 'touch', prev_state)
     file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)

test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml

@@ -711,6 +711,82 @@
     - group_exists.warnings is not defined
     - group_gid_exists.warnings is not defined
 
+# ensures touching a file returns changed when needed
+# issue: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/79360
+- name: touch a file returns changed in check mode if file does not exist
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_not_existing
+
+- name: touch the file
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    mode: "0660"
+    state: touch
+
+- name: touch an existing file returns changed in check mode
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_change_all_attr
+
+- name: touch an existing file returns changed in check mode when preserving access time
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+    access_time: "preserve"
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_preserve_access_time
+
+- name: touch an existing file returns changed in check mode when only mode changes
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+    access_time: "preserve"
+    modification_time: "preserve"
+    mode: "0640"
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_change_only_mode
+
+- name: touch an existing file returns ok if all attributes are preserved
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+    access_time: "preserve"
+    modification_time: "preserve"
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_all_attrs_preserved
+
+- name: touch an existing file fails in check mode when user does not exist
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+    owner: not-existing-user
+  check_mode: yes
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_fails_not_existing_user
+
+- name: touch an existing file fails in check mode when group does not exist
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/touch_check_mode_test'
+    state: touch
+    group: not-existing-group
+  check_mode: yes
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: touch_result_in_check_mode_fails_not_existing_group
+
+- assert:
+    that: 
+    - touch_result_in_check_mode_not_existing.changed
+    - touch_result_in_check_mode_preserve_access_time.changed
+    - touch_result_in_check_mode_change_only_mode.changed
+    - not touch_result_in_check_mode_all_attrs_preserved.changed
+    - touch_result_in_check_mode_fails_not_existing_user.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up user')
+    - touch_result_in_check_mode_fails_not_existing_group.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up group')
+
 # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/50943
 # Need to use /tmp as nobody can't access remote_tmp_dir_test at all
 - name: create file as root with all write permissions