ModuleHelper - deprecate attribute VarDict (#3801)

* ModuleHelper - deprecate attribute VarDict

* added changelog fragment

changelogs/fragments/3801-mh-deprecate-vardict-attr.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+deprecated_features:
+    - module_helper module utils - deprecated the attribute ``ModuleHelper.VarDict`` (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/3801).

plugins/module_utils/mh/module_helper.py

@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.cmd im
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.state import StateMixin
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.deps import DependencyMixin
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.vars import VarsMixin, VarDict as _VD
+from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.deprecate_attrs import DeprecateAttrsMixin
 
 
-class ModuleHelper(VarsMixin, DependencyMixin, ModuleHelperBase):
+class ModuleHelper(DeprecateAttrsMixin, VarsMixin, DependencyMixin, ModuleHelperBase):
     _output_conflict_list = ('msg', 'exception', 'output', 'vars', 'changed')
     facts_name = None
     output_params = ()
@@ -36,6 +37,15 @@ class ModuleHelper(VarsMixin, DependencyMixin, ModuleHelperBase):
                 fact=name in self.facts_params,
             )
 
+        self._deprecate_attr(
+            attr="VarDict",
+            msg="ModuleHelper.VarDict attribute is deprecated, use VarDict from "
+                "the ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.vars module instead",
+            version="6.0.0",
+            collection_name="community.general",
+            target=ModuleHelper,
+            module=self.module)
+
     def update_output(self, **kwargs):
         self.update_vars(meta={"output": True}, **kwargs)
 

tests/integration/targets/module_helper/library/msimpleda.py

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.module_helper im
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.deprecate_attrs import DeprecateAttrsMixin
 
 
-class MSimpleDA(DeprecateAttrsMixin, ModuleHelper):
+class MSimpleDA(ModuleHelper):
     output_params = ('a',)
     module = dict(
         argument_spec=dict(

tests/integration/targets/module_helper/library/mstate.py

@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ options:
   c:
     description: cccc
     type: str
+  trigger_depr_attr:
+    description: tries to access VarDict
+    type: bool
+    default: false
   state:
     description: test states
     type: str
@@ -45,12 +49,15 @@ class MState(StateModuleHelper):
             a=dict(type='int', required=True),
             b=dict(type='str'),
             c=dict(type='str'),
+            trigger_depr_attr=dict(type='bool', default=False),
             state=dict(type='str', choices=['join', 'b_x_a', 'c_x_a', 'both_x_a', 'nop'], default='join'),
         ),
     )
 
     def __init_module__(self):
         self.vars.set('result', "abc", diff=True)
+        if self.vars.trigger_depr_attr:
+            dummy = self.VarDict
 
     def state_join(self):
         self.vars['result'] = "".join([str(self.vars.a), str(self.vars.b), str(self.vars.c)])

tests/integration/targets/module_helper/tasks/mstate.yml

@@ -69,9 +69,25 @@
     a: 5
     b: foo
     c: bar
+    trigger_depr_attr: true
     state: both_x_a
   register: state5
 
+- ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    vardict_gt29:
+      msg: >-
+        ModuleHelper.VarDict attribute is deprecated, use VarDict from the
+        ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.vars
+        module instead
+      version: 6.0.0
+      collection_name: community.general
+    vardict_29:
+      msg: >-
+        ModuleHelper.VarDict attribute is deprecated, use VarDict from the
+        ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.mh.mixins.vars
+        module instead
+      version: 6.0.0
+
 - name: assert state5
   assert:
     that:
@@ -80,3 +96,6 @@
       - state5.c == "bar"
       - state5.result == "foobarfoobarfoobarfoobarfoobar"
       - state5 is changed
+      - vardict_depr in state5.deprecations
+  vars:
+    vardict_depr: '{{ (ansible_version.major == 2 and ansible_version.minor == 9) | ternary(vardict_29, vardict_gt29) }}'