Jira (PUP-10214) Unexpected results on "replace => false" on symlinks

[Corey Hickey (JIRA)]

Title: Message Title

Corey Hickey updated an issue   Puppet / PUP-10214 Unexpected results on "replace => false" on symlinks Change By: Corey Hickey *Puppet Version: 5.5.17-1.el7* *Puppet Server Version:5.3.10-1.el7* *OS Name/Version: Centos 7* This is a copy of an old redmine ticket that was never resolved: [https://projects.puppetlabs.com/issues/4872] To summarize, if puppet contains a declaration: {code}file { '/foo':     ensure  => 'link',     target  => '/bar'     replace => false, } {code} ...and '/foo' already exists as a dangling symlink (pointing to a file that does not exist), then puppet will change the symlink to point back to '/bar'. *Desired Behavior:* Puppet should respect {{replace =>}} false and not replace the symlink. *Actual Behavior:* As described above, puppet replaces the symlink.   I looked at the code and I think the current behavior is the same in master, though I don't have the means to test it myself. These parts seem relevant: lib/puppet/type/file/target.rb {code}     def insync?(currentvalue)       if [:nochange, :notlink].include?(self.should) or @resource.recurse?         return true       elsif ! @resource.replace? and Puppet::FileSystem.exist?(@resource[:path])         return true       else {code} lib/puppet/file_system.rb {code}  # Determines if a file exists by verifying that the file can be stat'd.   # Will follow symlinks and verify that the actual target path exists.   #   # @return [Boolean] true if the named file exists.   #   # @api public   #   def self.exist?(path)     @impl.exist?(assert_path(path))   end {code} I think that for this functionality, the file resource code should instead use a function that does _not_ follow symlinks. Puppet is supposed to be managing the file symlink , and the target (present or not ) is irrelevant. When creating a symlink, puppet correctly does not care if the target exists .   Thanks, Corey Add Comment   This message was sent by Atlassian JIRA (v7.7.1#77002-sha1:e75ca93) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Puppet Bugs" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to puppet-bugs+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/puppet-bugs/JIRA.340916.1578010636000.11444.1578010980053%40Atlassian.JIRA.