Puppet : call define type in class from hiera

Question

I would like to create install_package module which can be called multi times, where packages are defined in hiera. I know class is skelton (can be called one time), and define type is designed for my purpose.

I have developped the following : hiera.yaml

--- version: 5 hierarchy: - name: "Common hierarchy level" path: "common.yaml" 

./data/common.yaml

--- install_package::packages: - vim - logrotate classes: - install_package 

./module/install_package/manifest/init.pp

class install_package( packages=[], ) { define def_package() notify{"package to install is $name":} } def_package{ [$packages]: } } 

Puppet returns "Error while evaluating a Resource Statement, Unknown resource type: 'def_package'".

My question is how can I define packages to install in variable (array) in /data/common.yaml for instance, and then call install_package module multiple times, with define type ?

Answer 1

The error you are seeing is a scope problem. The def_package defined type has been defined within the install_package class, so its full name is actually install_package::def_package. In Puppet, classes and defined types have to be declared using their full name.

This works:

$ cat hiera.yaml --- version: 5 hierarchy: - name: "Common hierarchy level" path: "common.yaml" $ cat data/common.yaml --- install_package::packages: - vim - logrotate classes: - install_package $ cat modules/install_package/manifests/init.pp class install_package ( $packages = [], ) { define def_package() { notice("package to install is ${name}") } install_package::def_package { $packages: } } $ puppet apply --hiera_config hiera.yaml -e "hiera_include('classes')" --modulepath modules Notice: Scope(Install_package::Def_package[vim]): package to install is vim Notice: Scope(Install_package::Def_package[logrotate]): package to install is logrotate Notice: Compiled catalog for it070137.bris.ac.uk in environment production in 0.06 seconds Notice: Applied catalog in 0.03 seconds 

I'd note that defining classes and defined types within a class is not good style and makes puppet-lint complain.

Also, Puppet manifests support loops these days, so there is no need to use defined types with arrays as a workaround. Try a .each loop:

$ cat modules/install_package/manifests/init.pp class install_package ( $packages = [], ) { $packages.each |$name| { notice("package to install is ${name}") } } $ puppet apply --hiera_config hiera.yaml -e "hiera_include('classes')" --modulepath modules Notice: Scope(Class[Install_package]): package to install is vim Notice: Scope(Class[Install_package]): package to install is logrotate Notice: Compiled catalog for it070137.bris.ac.uk in environment production in 0.05 seconds Notice: Applied catalog in 0.03 seconds