file: fix setting attributes for symlinked file (#57217)

changelogs/fragments/56928-file-fix-setting-attr-symlink-follow.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - file - fix setting attributes for symlinked file (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/56928)

lib/ansible/modules/files/file.py

@@ -635,7 +635,6 @@ def ensure_symlink(path, src, follow, force, timestamps):
     b_path = to_bytes(path, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
     b_src = to_bytes(src, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
     prev_state = get_state(b_path)
-    file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)
     mtime = get_timestamp_for_time(timestamps['modification_time'], timestamps['modification_time_format'])
     atime = get_timestamp_for_time(timestamps['access_time'], timestamps['access_time_format'])
     # source is both the source of a symlink or an informational passing of the src for a template module
@@ -732,6 +731,12 @@ def ensure_symlink(path, src, follow, force, timestamps):
     if module.check_mode and not os.path.exists(b_path):
         return {'dest': path, 'src': src, 'changed': changed, 'diff': diff}
 
+    # Now that we might have created the symlink, get the arguments.
+    # We need to do it now so we can properly follow the symlink if needed
+    # because load_file_common_arguments sets 'path' according
+    # the value of follow and the symlink existance.
+    file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)
+
     # Whenever we create a link to a nonexistent target we know that the nonexistent target
     # cannot have any permissions set on it.  Skip setting those and emit a warning (the user
     # can set follow=False to remove the warning)

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

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 #
 # Basic absolute symlink to a file
-# 
+#
 - name: create soft link to file
   file: src={{output_file}} dest={{output_dir}}/soft.txt state=link
   register: file1_result
@@ -308,3 +308,40 @@
     that:
       - 'file10_result is changed'
       - 'file10_target_stat["stat"]["mode"] == "0644"'
+
+
+# https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/56928
+- block:
+
+  - name: Create a testing file
+    file:
+      path: "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1"
+      state: touch
+
+  - name: Create a symlink and change mode of the original file, since follow == yes by default
+    file:
+      src: "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1"
+      dest: "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1_link"
+      state: link
+      mode: 0700
+
+  - name: stat the original file
+    stat:
+      path: "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1"
+    register: stat_out
+
+  - name: Check if the mode of the original file was set
+    assert:
+      that:
+        - 'stat_out.stat.mode == "0700"'
+
+  always:
+    - name: Clean up
+      file:
+        path: "{{ item }}"
+        state: absent
+      loop:
+        - "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1"
+        - "{{ output_dir }}/test_follow1_link"
+
+# END #56928