file: module should warn in check_mode when path and owner/group don't exist (#69640)

* file: module must fail in check_mode when path and owner/group don't exist

changelogs/fragments/69640-file_should_warn_when_path_and_owner_or_group_dont_exist.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- file - the module should warn in check_mode when path an owner/group don't exist (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/67307).

lib/ansible/modules/file.py

@@ -225,6 +225,9 @@ import shutil
 import sys
 import time
 
+from pwd import getpwnam, getpwuid
+from grp import getgrnam, getgrgid
+
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_native
 
@@ -860,6 +863,34 @@ def ensure_hardlink(path, src, follow, force, timestamps):
     return {'dest': path, 'src': src, 'changed': changed, 'diff': diff}
 
 
+def check_owner_exists(module, owner):
+    try:
+        uid = int(owner)
+        try:
+            getpwuid(uid).pw_name
+        except KeyError:
+            module.warn('failed to look up user with uid %s. Create user up to this point in real play' % uid)
+    except ValueError:
+        try:
+            getpwnam(owner).pw_uid
+        except KeyError:
+            module.warn('failed to look up user %s. Create user up to this point in real play' % owner)
+
+
+def check_group_exists(module, group):
+    try:
+        gid = int(group)
+        try:
+            getgrgid(gid).gr_name
+        except KeyError:
+            module.warn('failed to look up group with gid %s. Create group up to this point in real play' % gid)
+    except ValueError:
+        try:
+            getgrnam(group).gr_gid
+        except KeyError:
+            module.warn('failed to look up group %s. Create group up to this point in real play' % group)
+
+
 def main():
 
     global module
@@ -895,6 +926,13 @@ def main():
     path = params['path']
     src = params['src']
 
+    if module.check_mode and state != 'absent':
+        file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)
+        if file_args['owner']:
+            check_owner_exists(module, file_args['owner'])
+        if file_args['group']:
+            check_group_exists(module, file_args['group'])
+
     timestamps = {}
     timestamps['modification_time'] = keep_backward_compatibility_on_timestamps(params['modification_time'], state)
     timestamps['modification_time_format'] = params['modification_time_format']

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

@@ -143,6 +143,16 @@
       - "file_attributes_result_4 is not changed"
   when: file_attributes_result_4 is changed
 
+- name: create user
+  user:
+    name: test1
+    uid: 1234
+
+- name: create group
+  group:
+    name: test1
+    gid: 1234
+
 - name: change ownership and group
   file: path={{output_dir}}/baz.txt owner=1234 group=1234
 
@@ -330,6 +340,11 @@
     that:
       - "file9_result.uid != 1234"
 
+- name: create user
+  user:
+    name: test2
+    uid: 1235
+
 - name: change the ownership of a directory with recurse=yes
   file: path={{output_dir}}/foobar owner=1235 recurse=yes
 
@@ -539,6 +554,110 @@
     that:
     - result.mode == '0444'
 
+# https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/67307
+# Test the module fails in check_mode when directory and owner/group do not exist
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: owner does not exist in check_mode
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    owner: nonexistent
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: owner_no_exist
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- name: create owner
+  user:
+    name: nonexistent
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: owner exist in check_mode
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    owner: nonexistent
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: owner_exists
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: owner does not exist in check_mode, using uid
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    owner: '111111'
+  check_mode: yes
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  register: owner_uid_no_exist
+
+- name: create owner using uid
+  user:
+    name: test_uid
+    uid: 111111
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: owner exists in check_mode, using uid
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    owner: '111111'
+    state: touch
+  check_mode: yes
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  register: owner_uid_exists
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: group does not exist in check_mode
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    group: nonexistent1
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: group_no_exist
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- name: create group
+  group:
+    name: nonexistent1
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: group exists in check_mode
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    group: nonexistent1
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: group_exists
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: group does not exist in check_mode, using gid
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    group: '111112'
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: group_gid_no_exist
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- name: create group with gid
+  group:
+    name: test_gid
+    gid: 111112
+
+# I don't use state=touch here intentionally to fail and catch warnings
+- name: group exists in check_mode, using gid
+  file:
+    path: '/tmp/nonexistent'
+    group: '111112'
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: group_gid_exists
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- assert:
+    that:
+    - owner_no_exist.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up user')
+    - owner_uid_no_exist.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up user with uid')
+    - group_no_exist.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up group')
+    - group_gid_no_exist.warnings[0] is search('failed to look up group with gid')
+    - owner_exists.warnings is not defined
+    - owner_uid_exists.warnings is not defined
+    - group_exists.warnings is not defined
+    - group_gid_exists.warnings is not defined
+
 # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/50943
 # Need to use /tmp as nobody can't access output_dir at all
 - name: create file as root with all write permissions