rpm_ostree_pkg: fails to set `needs_reboot` correctly

[millerthegorilla]

Summary

It is expected that ansible tasks are idempotent. However, when running rpm_ostree_package to install already installed, but pending, packages, the needs_reboot is returned as false, when if there are pending packages, as listed by rpm-ostree db diff the needs_reboot should be true.

Issue Type

Bug Report

Component Name

rpm_ostree_pkg

Ansible Version

ansible [core 2.18.4]
  config file = None
  configured module search path = ['/var/home/user/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /var/home/user/src/ansible-collection-picoreos/millerthegorilla/picoreos/.venv/lib64/python3.13/site-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /var/home/user/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /var/home/user/src/ansible-collection-picoreos/millerthegorilla/picoreos/.venv/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.13.2 (main, Feb  4 2025, 00:00:00) [GCC 14.2.1 20250110 (Red Hat 14.2.1-7)] (/var/home/user/src/ansible-collection-picoreos/millerthegorilla/picoreos/.venv/bin/python)
  jinja version = 3.1.6
  libyaml = True

Community.general Version

Collection        Version
----------------- -------
community.general 10.5.0 

Configuration

config...

CONFIG_FILE() = None
EDITOR(env: EDITOR) = /usr/bin/nano

GALAXY_SERVERS:

OS / Environment

fedora silverblue 41 host addressing a stable coreos remote, on a raspberry pi4b.

Steps to Reproduce

on second run, without reboot of remote. rpm-ostree db diff on remote reveals a pending deployment.

- name: Ensure ClamAV packages are installed.
  package:
    name: "{{ clamav_packages }}"
  register: clamav_packages_install

- name: Reboot if necessary (when rpm-ostree is package manager)
  ansible.builtin.reboot:
    msg: "Reboot initiated by Ansible"
  when:
    - ansible_package_use is defined
    - '"rpm_ostree_pkg" in ansible_package_use'
    - clamav_packages_install.needs_reboot

needs_reboot is false, when it should be true.

Expected Results

clamav_packages_install.needs_reboot should be true

Actual Results

needs_reboot is false

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow the Ansible Code of Conduct

[ansibullbot]

Files identified in the description:
None

If these files are incorrect, please update the component name section of the description or use the !component bot command.

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[ansibullbot]

Files identified in the description:

• plugins/modules/rpm_ostree_pkg.py

If these files are incorrect, please update the component name section of the description or use the !component bot command.

click here for bot help

[ansibullbot]

cc @Akasurde @dustymabe
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[millerthegorilla]

The module uses the return message from the rpm-ostree command.
But this shows no change if the command is run again without an intervening reboot.

If needs_reboot is set to ('pending' in rpm-ostree db diff), then this would work as expected.

[russoz]

hi @millerthegorilla thanks for reporting. Would you be willing to try and fix the module code? We'd be happy to assist you in the journey.

[felixfontein]

One question is whether the module actually needs fixing. I understand "Determine if machine needs a reboot to apply current changes." that it will inform you whether the changes made by the module require a reboot. If the module didn't do any changes (due to idempotency), there's no need to reboot.

The return value was added in #9167 by @shios86, maybe they can say more about this?

[shios86]

I did a simple check on the output of the command of rpm-ostree to set the flag for needs_reboot, it will not be able to detect pending changes on subsequent run of the same package install.

One question that should be asked, is whether the module itself should run 2 different command for 1 task.

What I could do, is implement another state called reboot that would just run the command mentioned above.

[felixfontein]

reboot is not a valid state name (it would be an action, but that's not what you mean). Having an _info module for querying whether a reboot is needed is probably the best way to solve this.

[shios86]

In that case, should needs_reboot flag be removed from the current pkg module?

[felixfontein]

No, why? It works as documented (though maybe the documentation can be improved to make clearer what exactly it does).

[shios86]

Okay, I can probably make this module later, and further clarify what needs_reboot does.
Refer to #10009 (comment)

[millerthegorilla]

Hi, I would have been happy to make the changes, but I would have suggested the need to use the needs_reboot flag.

I would have made a pending in rpm-ostree db diff and set the needs reboot flag.

The reason is because there are already codebases out there, including mine, that rely on the needs_reboot to trigger a reboot in a task that follows the rpm_ostree_package task.

Idempotency in the case of package installation is a special case for rpm-ostree systems. There is no point in installing a package without a reboot.

So if I run the task twice without reaching a reboot, for example in the case of some package installation failure, I would expect the code to reflect the continued need to reboot the system, even if no changes are made.