File and Directory Examples

Table of Contents

Create files and directories

Create files and directories and set permissions.

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/test_plain"
      perms => system,
      create => "true";

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_dir/."
      perms => system,
      create => "true";
}

body perms system
{
      mode  => "0640";
}

Copy single files

Copy single files, locally (local_cp) or from a remote site (secure_cp). The Community Open Promise-Body Library (COPBL; cfengine_stdlib.cf) should be included in the /var/cfengine/inputs/ directory and input as below.

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "mycopy" };
      inputs => { "$(sys.libdir)/stdlib.cf" };
}

bundle agent mycopy
{
  files:

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_plain"
      copy_from => local_cp("$(sys.workdir)/bin/file");

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_remote_plain"
      copy_from => secure_cp("$(sys.workdir)/bin/file","serverhost");
}

Copy directory trees

Copy directory trees, locally (local_cp) or from a remote site (secure_cp). (depth_search => recurse("")) defines the number of sublevels to include, ("inf") gets entire tree.

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "my_recursive_copy" };
      inputs => { "$(sys.libdir)/stdlib.cf" };
}

bundle agent my_recursive_copy
{
  files:

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_dir"

      copy_from => local_cp("$(sys.workdir)/bin/."),
      depth_search => recurse("inf");

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_dir"

      copy_from => secure_cp("$(sys.workdir)/bin","serverhost"),
      depth_search => recurse("inf");

}

Disabling and rotating files

Use the following simple steps to disable and rotate files. See the Community Open Promise-Body Library if you wish more details on what disable and rotate does.

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "my_disable" };
      inputs => { "$(sys.libdir)/stdlib.cf" };
}

bundle agent my_disable
{

  files:

      "/home/mark/tmp/test_create"
      rename => disable;

      "/home/mark/tmp/rotate_my_log"
      rename => rotate("4");

}

Add lines to a file

There are numerous approaches to adding lines to a file. Often the order of a configuration file is unimportant, we just need to ensure settings within it. A simple way of adding lines is show below.

body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => { "insert" };
}

bundle agent insert
{
  vars:
      "lines" string =>
      "
                One potato
                Two potato
                Three potatoe
                Four
                ";

  files:
      "/tmp/test_insert"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => append_if_no_line("$(insert.lines)");
}

Also you could write this using a list variable:

body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => { "insert" };
}

bundle agent insert
{
  vars:
      "lines" slist => { "One potato", "Two potato",
                         "Three potatoe", "Four" };

  files:
      "/tmp/test_insert"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => append_if_no_line("@(insert.lines)");
}

Check file or directory permissions

bundle agent check_perms
{
  vars:
      "ns_files" slist => {
                            "/local/iu/logs/admin",
                            "/local/iu/logs/security",
                            "/local/iu/logs/updates",
                            "/local/iu/logs/xfer"
      };

  files:
    NameServers::
      "/local/dns/pz"
      perms => mo("644","dns"),
      depth_search => recurse("1"),
      file_select => exclude("secret_file");

      "/local/iu/dns/pz/FixSerial"
      perms => m("755"),
      file_select => plain;

      "$(ns_files)"
      perms => mo("644","dns"),
      file_select => plain;

      "$(ftp)/pub"
      perms => mog("644","root","other");

      "$(ftp)/pub"
      perms => m("644"),
      depth_search => recurse("inf");

      "$(ftp)/etc"        perms => mog("111","root","other");
      "$(ftp)/usr/bin/ls" perms => mog("111","root","other");
      "$(ftp)/dev"        perms => mog("555","root","other");
      "$(ftp)/usr"        perms => mog("555","root","other");
}

Commenting lines in a file

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      inputs => { "$(sys.libdir)/stdlib.cf" };
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/cf3_test"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => myedit("second");
}

bundle edit_line myedit(parameter)
{
  vars:
      "edit_variable" string => "private edit variable is $(parameter)";

  replace_patterns:
      # replace shell comments with C comments

      "#(.*)"
      replace_with => C_comment,
      select_region => MySection("New section");
}

body replace_with C_comment
{
      replace_value => "/* $(match.1) */"; # backreference 0
      occurrences => "all";  # first, last all
}

body select_region MySection(x)
{
      select_start => "\[$(x)\]";
      select_end => "\[.*\]";
}


body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/comment_test"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => comment_lines_matching;
}

bundle edit_line comment_lines_matching
{
  vars:
      "regexes" slist => { "one.*", "two.*", "four.*" };
  replace_patterns:
      "^($(regexes))$"
      replace_with => comment("# ");
}

body replace_with comment(c)
{
      replace_value => "$(c) $(match.1)";
      occurrences => "all";
}


body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}



bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/comment_test"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => uncomment_lines_matching("\s*mark.*","#");
}

bundle edit_line uncomment_lines_matching(regex,comment)
{
  replace_patterns:
      "#($(regex))$" replace_with => uncomment;
}

body replace_with uncomment
{
      replace_value => "$(match.1)";
      occurrences => "all";
}

Copy files

  files:

"/var/cfengine/inputs"

handle => "update_policy",
perms => m("600"),
copy_from => u_scp("$(master_location)",@(policy_server)),
depth_search => recurse("inf"),
file_select => input_files,
action => immediate;

"/var/cfengine/bin"

perms => m("700"),
copy_from => u_scp("/usr/local/sbin","localhost"),
depth_search => recurse("inf"),
file_select => cf3_files,
action => immediate,
classes => on_change("reload");

Copy and flatten directory

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle" };
      version => "1.2.3";
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/testflatcopy"
      comment  => "test copy promise",
      copy_from    => mycopy("/home/mark/LapTop/words","127.0.0.1"),
      perms        => system,
      depth_search => recurse("inf"),
      classes      => satisfied("copy_ok");

      "/home/mark/tmp/testcopy/single_file"
      comment  => "test copy promise",
      copy_from    => mycopy("/home/mark/LapTop/Cfengine3/trunk/README","127.0.0.1"),
      perms        => system;

  reports:
    copy_ok::
      "Files were copied..";
}

body perms system
{
      mode  => "0644";
}

body depth_search recurse(d)
{
      depth => "$(d)";
}

body copy_from mycopy(from,server)
{
      source      => "$(from)";
      servers     => { "$(server)" };
      compare     => "digest";
      verify      => "true";
      copy_backup => "true";                  #/false/timestamp
      purge       => "false";
      type_check  => "true";
      force_ipv4  => "true";
      trustkey => "true";
      collapse_destination_dir => "true";
}

body classes satisfied(x)
{
      promise_repaired => { "$(x)" };
      persist_time => "0";
}

body server control
{
      allowconnects         => { "127.0.0.1" , "::1" };
      allowallconnects      => { "127.0.0.1" , "::1" };
      trustkeysfrom         => { "127.0.0.1" , "::1" };
}

bundle server my_access_rules()
{
  access:
      "/home/mark/LapTop"
      admit   => { "127.0.0.1" };
}

Copy then edit a file convergently

To convergently chain a copy followed by edit, you need a staging file. First you copy to the staging file. Then you edit the final file and insert the staging file into it as part of the editing. This is convergent with respect to both stages of the process.

bundle agent master
{
  files:
      "$(final_destination)"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => fix_file("$(staging_file)"),
      edit_defaults => empty,
      perms => mo("644","root"),
      action => ifelapsed("60");
}

bundle edit_line fix_file(f)
{
  insert_lines:

      "$(f)"
      # insert this into an empty file to reconstruct
      insert_type => "file";

  replace_patterns:
      "searchstring"
      replace_with => With("replacestring");
}

Deleting lines from a file

body common control
{
      bundlesequence => { "test" };
}

bundle agent test
{
  files:
      "/tmp/resolv.conf"  # test on "/tmp/resolv.conf" #
      create        => "true",
      edit_line     => resolver,
      edit_defaults => def;
}


bundle edit_line resolver
{
  vars:
      "search" slist => { "search iu.hio.no cfengine.com", "nameserver 128.39.89.10" };

  delete_lines:
      "search.*";

  insert_lines:
      "$(search)" location => end;
}

body edit_defaults def
{
      empty_file_before_editing => "false";
      edit_backup => "false";
      max_file_size => "100000";
}

body location start
{
      # If not line to match, applies to whole text body
      before_after => "before";
}

body location end
{
      # If not line to match, applies to whole text body
      before_after => "after";
}

Deleting lines exception

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle" };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/tmp/passwd_excerpt"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => MarkNRoot;
}

bundle edit_line MarkNRoot
{
  delete_lines:
      "mark.*|root.*" not_matching => "true";
}

Delete files recursively

The rm_rf and rm_rf_depth bundles in the standard library make it easy to prune directory trees.

Editing files

This is a huge topic. See also See Add lines to a file, See Editing tabular files, etc. Editing a file can be complex or simple, depending on needs.

Here is an example of how to comment out lines matching a number of patterns:

body common control
{
      version         =>   "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
      inputs => { "$(sys.libdir)/stdlib.cf" };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  vars:
      "patterns" slist => { "finger.*", "echo.*", "exec.*", "rstat.*",
                            "uucp.*", "talk.*" };
  files:
      "/etc/inetd.conf"
      edit_line => comment_lines_matching("@(testbundle.patterns)","#");
}

Editing tabular files

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  vars:
      "userset" slist => { "one-x", "two-x", "three-x" };

  files:
      # Make a copy of the password file

      "/home/mark/tmp/passwd"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => SetUserParam("mark","6","/set/this/shell");

      "/home/mark/tmp/group"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => AppendUserParam("root","4","@(userset)");

  commands:
      "/bin/echo" args => $(userset);
}

bundle edit_line SetUserParam(user,field,val)
{
  field_edits:
      "$(user):.*"
      # Set field of the file to parameter
      edit_field => col(":","$(field)","$(val)","set");
}

bundle edit_line AppendUserParam(user,field,allusers)
{
  vars:
      "val" slist => { @(allusers) };

  field_edits:
      "$(user):.*"
      # Set field of the file to parameter
      edit_field => col(":","$(field)","$(val)","alphanum");
}

body edit_field col(split,col,newval,method)
{
      field_separator => $(split);
      select_field    => $(col);
      value_separator  => ",";
      field_value     => $(newval);
      field_operation => $(method);
      extend_fields => "true";
}

Inserting lines in a file

body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => { "insert" };
}


bundle agent insert
{
  vars:
      "v" string => "  One potato";

  files:
      "/tmp/test_insert"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => Insert("$(insert.v)");
}

bundle edit_line Insert(name)
{
  insert_lines:
      "  $(name)"
      whitespace_policy => { "ignore_leading", "ignore_embedded" };
}

body edit_defaults empty
{
      empty_file_before_editing => "true";
}


body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => { "insert" };
}


bundle agent insert
{
  vars:
      "v" string => "
                One potato
                Two potato
                Three potatoe
                Four
                ";

  files:
      "/tmp/test_insert"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => Insert("$(insert.v)"),
      edit_defaults => empty;
}

bundle edit_line Insert(name)
{
  insert_lines:
      "Begin$(const.n)$(name)$(const.n)End";
}

body edit_defaults empty
{
      empty_file_before_editing => "false";
}


body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => { "insert" };
}


bundle agent insert
{
  vars:
      "v" slist => {
                     "One potato",
                     "Two potato",
                     "Three potatoe",
                     "Four"
      };

  files:
      "/tmp/test_insert"
      create => "true",
      edit_line => Insert("@(insert.v)");
      #  edit_defaults => empty;

}

bundle edit_line Insert(name)
{
  insert_lines:
      "$(name)";
}

body edit_defaults empty
{
      empty_file_before_editing => "true";
}

Back references in filenames

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      # The back reference in a path only applies to the last link
      # of the pathname, so the (tmp) gets ignored

      "/tmp/(cf3)_(.*)"
      edit_line => myedit("second $(match.2)");

      # but ...

      #  "/tmp/cf3_test"
      #       create    => "true",
      #       edit_line => myedit("second $(match.1)");

}

bundle edit_line myedit(parameter)
{
  vars:
      "edit_variable" string => "private edit variable is $(parameter)";

  insert_lines:
      "$(edit_variable)";

}

Add variable definitions to a file

body common control
{
      bundlesequence => { "setvars" };
      inputs => { "cf_std_library.cf" };
}


bundle agent setvars
{
  vars:

      # want to set these values by the names of their array keys


      "rhs[lhs1]" string => " Mary had a little pig";
      "rhs[lhs2]" string => "Whose Fleece was white as snow";
      "rhs[lhs3]" string => "And everywhere that Mary went";

      # oops, now change pig -> lamb


  files:

      "/tmp/system"

      create => "true",
      edit_line => set_variable_values("setvars.rhs");

}

Results in:

  • lhs1= Mary had a little pig
  • lhs2=Whose Fleece was white as snow
  • lhs3=And everywhere that Mary went

An example of this would be to add variables to /etc/sysctl.conf on Linux:

body common control
{
      bundlesequence => { "setvars" };
      inputs => { "cf_std_library.cf" };
}


bundle agent setvars
{
  vars:

      # want to set these values by the names of their array keys


      "rhs[net/ipv4/tcp_syncookies]" string => "1";
      "rhs[net/ipv4/icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts]" string => "1";
      "rhs[net/ipv4/ip_forward]" string => "1";

      # oops, now change pig -> lamb


  files:

      "/etc/sysctl"

      create => "true",
      edit_line => set_variable_values("setvars.rhs");

}

Linking files

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      # Make a copy of the password file

      "/home/mark/tmp/passwd"
      link_from     => linkdetails("/etc/passwd"),
      move_obstructions => "true";

      "/home/mark/tmp/linktest"
      link_from     => linkchildren("/usr/local/sbin");

      #child links
}

body link_from linkdetails(tofile)
{
      source        => "$(tofile)";
      link_type     => "symlink";
      when_no_source  => "force";      # kill
}

body link_from linkchildren(tofile)
{
      source        => "$(tofile)";
      link_type     => "symlink";
      when_no_source  => "force";      # kill
      link_children => "true";
      when_linking_children => "if_no_such_file"; # "override_file";
}


body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => {
                           "testbundle"
      };
}


bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/test_to" -> "someone"
      depth_search => recurse("inf"),
      perms => modestuff,
      action => tell_me;
}

body depth_search recurse(d)
{
      rmdeadlinks => "true";
      depth => "$(d)";
}

body perms modestuff
{
      mode => "o-w";
}

body action tell_me
{
      report_level => "inform";
}

Listing files-pattern in a directory

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "example" };
}

bundle agent example
{
  vars:
      "ls" slist => lsdir("/etc","p.*","true");

  reports:
      "ls: $(ls)";
}

Locate and transform files

body common control
{
    any::
      bundlesequence  => {
                           "testbundle"
      };
      version => "1.2.3";
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/home/mark/tmp/testcopy"
      file_select => pdf_files,
      transformer => "/usr/bin/gzip $(this.promiser)",
      depth_search => recurse("inf");
}

body file_select pdf_files
{
      leaf_name => { ".*.pdf" , ".*.fdf" };
      file_result => "leaf_name";
}

body depth_search recurse(d)
{
      depth => "$(d)";
}

BSD flags

body common control
{
      bundlesequence => { "test" };
}
bundle agent test
{
  files:
    freebsd::
      "/tmp/newfile"
      create => "true",
      perms => setbsd;
}

body perms setbsd
{
      bsdflags => { "+uappnd","+uchg", "+uunlnk", "-nodump" };
}

Search and replace text

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}


bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/tmp/replacestring"
      create    => "true",
      edit_line => myedit("second");
}

bundle edit_line myedit(parameter)
{
  vars:
      "edit_variable" string => "private edit variable is $(parameter)";

  replace_patterns:
      # replace shell comments with C comments

      "puppet"
      replace_with => With("cfengine 3");
}


body replace_with With(x)
{
      replace_value => $(x);
      occurrences => "first";
}

body select_region MySection(x)
{
      select_start => "\[$(x)\]";
      select_end => "\[.*\]";
}

Selecting a region in a file

body common control
{
      version => "1.2.3";
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle"  };
}


bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/tmp/testfile"

      create    => "true",
      edit_line => myedit("second");
}


bundle edit_line myedit(parameter)
{
  vars:

      "edit_variable" string => "private edit variable is $(parameter)";

  replace_patterns:

      # comment out lines after start
      "([^#].*)"

      replace_with => comment,
      select_region => ToEnd("Start.*");
}


body replace_with comment
{
      replace_value => "# $(match.1)"; # backreference 0
      occurrences => "all";  # first, last all
}



body select_region ToEnd(x)
{
      select_start => $(x);
}

Warn if matching line in file

body common control
{
      bundlesequence  => { "testbundle" };
}

bundle agent testbundle
{
  files:
      "/var/cfengine/inputs/.*"
      edit_line => DeleteLinesMatching(".*cfenvd.*"),
      action => WarnOnly;
}

bundle edit_line DeleteLinesMatching(regex)
{
  delete_lines:
      "$(regex)" action => WarnOnly;
}

body action WarnOnly
{
      action_policy => "warn";
}