Add set_fact_persistent action and module. (#26153)

* Add 'cacheable' param to  set_fact action and module.

Used just like set_fact, except facts set with cacheable: true
will be stored in the fact cache if fact caching is enabled.

set_fact normally only sets facts in the non_persistent_fact_cache, so they
are lost between invocations.

* update set_facts docs

* use 'ansible_facts_cacheable' in module/actions result

* pop fact cacheable related items out of args/results

We dont want to use 'ansible_facts_cacheable' result item
or 'cacheable' arg as actual facts, so pop them out of the
dicts.

lib/ansible/modules/utilities/logic/set_fact.py

@@ -33,11 +33,19 @@ options:
         using the C(args:) statement.
     required: true
     default: null
+  cacheable:
+    description:
+      - This boolean indicates if the facts set will also be added to the
+        fact cache, if fact caching is enabled.
+    required: false
+    default: false
+    version_added: "2.4"
 version_added: "1.2"
 notes:
     - "The `var=value` notation can only create strings or booleans.
       If you want to create lists/arrays or dictionary/hashes use `var: [val1, val2]`"
     - This module is also supported for Windows targets.
+    - Since 'cacheable' is now a module param, 'cacheable' is no longer a valid fact name as of 2.4.
 '''
 
 EXAMPLES = '''
@@ -50,6 +58,12 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
      other_fact: "{{ local_var * 2 }}"
      another_fact: "{{ some_registered_var.results | map(attribute='ansible_facts.some_fact') | list }}"
 
+# Example setting facts so that they will be persisted in the fact cache
+- set_fact:
+    one_fact: something
+    other_fact: "{{ local_var * 2 }}"
+    cacheable: true
+
 # As of 1.8, Ansible will convert boolean strings ('true', 'false', 'yes', 'no')
 # to proper boolean values when using the key=value syntax, however it is still
 # recommended that booleans be set using the complex argument style:

lib/ansible/plugins/action/set_fact.py

@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
         result = super(ActionModule, self).run(tmp, task_vars)
 
         facts = dict()
+
+        cacheable = bool(self._task.args.pop('cacheable', False))
+
         if self._task.args:
             for (k, v) in iteritems(self._task.args):
                 k = self._templar.template(k)
@@ -51,4 +54,5 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
 
         result['changed'] = False
         result['ansible_facts'] = facts
+        result['ansible_facts_cacheable'] = cacheable
         return result

lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/__init__.py

@@ -511,12 +511,14 @@ class StrategyBase:
                                 for target_host in host_list:
                                     self._variable_manager.set_host_variable(target_host, var_name, var_value)
                         else:
+                            cacheable = result_item.pop('ansible_facts_cacheable', True)
                             for target_host in host_list:
-                                if original_task.action == 'set_fact':
+                                if cacheable:
-                                    self._variable_manager.set_nonpersistent_facts(target_host, result_item['ansible_facts'].copy())
-                                else:
                                     self._variable_manager.set_host_facts(target_host, result_item['ansible_facts'].copy())
 
+                                # If we are setting a fact, it should populate non_persistent_facts as well
+                                self._variable_manager.set_nonpersistent_facts(target_host, result_item['ansible_facts'].copy())
+
                     if 'ansible_stats' in result_item and 'data' in result_item['ansible_stats'] and result_item['ansible_stats']['data']:
 
                         if 'per_host' not in result_item['ansible_stats'] or result_item['ansible_stats']['per_host']:

test/integration/targets/set_fact/aliases

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+posix/ci/group3

test/integration/targets/set_fact/runme.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -eux
+
+MYTMPDIR=$(mktemp -d 2>/dev/null || mktemp -d -t 'mytmpdir')
+trap 'rm -rf "${MYTMPDIR}"' EXIT
+
+ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN=jsonfile ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN_CONNECTION="${MYTMPDIR}" ansible-playbook -i ../../inventory "$@" set_fact_cached_1.yml
+
+ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN=jsonfile ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN_CONNECTION="${MYTMPDIR}" ansible-playbook -i ../../inventory "$@" set_fact_cached_2.yml
+
+ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN=jsonfile ANSIBLE_CACHE_PLUGIN_CONNECTION="${MYTMPDIR}" ansible-playbook -i ../../inventory --flush-cache "$@" set_fact_no_cache.yml
+

test/integration/targets/set_fact/set_fact_cached_1.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+---
+- name: the first play
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: show foobar fact before
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar
+
+    - name: set a persistent fact foobar
+      set_fact:
+        ansible_foobar: 'blippy'
+        cacheable: true
+
+    - name: show foobar fact after
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar is correct value
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar == 'blippy'
+
+    - name: set a non persistent fact that will not be cached
+      set_fact:
+        ansible_foobar_not_cached: 'this_should_not_be_cached'
+
+    - name: show ansible_foobar_not_cached fact after being set
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar_not_cached
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar_not_cached is correct value
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar_not_cached == 'this_should_not_be_cached'
+
+- name: the second play
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: show foobar fact after second play
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar is correct value
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar == 'blippy'

test/integration/targets/set_fact/set_fact_cached_2.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+- name: A second playbook run with fact caching enabled
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: show ansible_foobar fact
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar is correct value when read from cache
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar == 'blippy'
+
+    - name: show ansible_foobar_not_cached fact
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar_not_cached
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar_not_cached is not cached
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar_not_cached is undefined

test/integration/targets/set_fact/set_fact_no_cache.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+- name: Running with fact caching enabled but with cache flushed
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: show ansible_foobar fact
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar is correct value
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar is undefined
+
+    - name: show ansible_foobar_not_cached fact
+      debug:
+        var: ansible_foobar_not_cached
+
+    - name: assert ansible_foobar_not_cached is not cached
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - ansible_foobar_not_cached is undefined