test: ensure role gathers the facts it uses by having test clear_facts before include_role

The role gathers the facts it uses.  For example, if the user uses
`ANSIBLE_GATHERING=explicit`, the role uses the `setup` module with the
facts and subsets it requires.

This change allows us to test this.  Before every role invocation, the test
will use `meta: clear_facts` so that the role starts with no facts.  However, since
the tests use facts, we save and restore the facts used by the test.

Create a task file tests/tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml to do the tasks
to save, clear, run the role, and restore the facts.  This uses an action plugin
merge_ansible_facts to merge the saved facts with any changes by the role.

Any vars defined using `ansible_facts` have been changed to be defined with
`set_fact` instead.  This is because of the fact that `vars` are lazily
evaluated - the var might be referenced when the facts have been cleared, and
will issue an error like `ansible_facts["distribution"] is undefined`.

Any blocks with a `when` condition that uses `ansible_facts` has been rewritten.
This is because the `when` condition is evaluated every time a task is
invoked in the block, and if the facts are cleared, this will raise an
undefined variable error.

Author: richm

tasks/main-blivet.yml

@@ -55,15 +55,10 @@
     extra_pkgs:
       - kpartx
 
-- name: Get service facts
-  service_facts:
-  when: storage_skip_checks is not defined or
-        not "service_facts" in storage_skip_checks
-
-# rejectattr required because the fix to service_facts is on Ansible > 2.12 only
-# https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/75326
-- name: Set storage_cryptsetup_services
-  set_fact:
+- name: Manage storage devices and check for errors
+  vars:
+    # rejectattr required because the fix to service_facts is on Ansible > 2.12 only
+    # https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/75326
     storage_cryptsetup_services: "{{
       ansible_facts.services.values() |
       selectattr('name', 'defined') |
@@ -72,10 +67,15 @@
       rejectattr('status', 'match', '^failed$') |
       map(attribute='name') |
       select('match', '^systemd-cryptsetup@') |
-      list }}"
-
-- name: Manage storage devices and check for errors
+      list
+      if 'services' in ansible_facts else [] }}"
   block:
+    - name: Get service facts
+      service_facts:
+      when:
+        - not "services" in ansible_facts
+        - not "cryptsetup_services" in storage_skip_checks | d([])
+
     - name: Mask the systemd cryptsetup services
       systemd:
         name: "{{ item }}"

tests/action_plugins/merge_ansible_facts.py

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Ansible action plugin merge_ansible_facts.
+# Merges saved facts with current Ansible facts on the controller and returns
+# ansible_facts (saved_ansible_facts with current_ansible_facts overlaid).
+#
+# Copyright: (c) 2025, Linux System Roles
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
+
+
+class ActionModule(ActionBase):
+
+    TRANSFERS_FILES = False
+
+    def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
+        if task_vars is None:
+            task_vars = {}
+
+        result = super(ActionModule, self).run(tmp, task_vars)
+        result["changed"] = False
+
+        current = self._task.args.get("current_ansible_facts")
+        saved = self._task.args.get("saved_ansible_facts")
+
+        if current is None:
+            result["failed"] = True
+            result["msg"] = "current_ansible_facts is required"
+            return result
+        if saved is None:
+            result["failed"] = True
+            result["msg"] = "saved_ansible_facts is required"
+            return result
+
+        # Template in case args were passed as raw Jinja
+        current = self._templar.template(current)
+        saved = self._templar.template(saved)
+
+        if not isinstance(current, dict):
+            result["failed"] = True
+            result["msg"] = "current_ansible_facts must be a dict"
+            return result
+        if not isinstance(saved, dict):
+            result["failed"] = True
+            result["msg"] = "saved_ansible_facts must be a dict"
+            return result
+
+        # Merge: start with a copy of saved, overlay current (same behavior as module)
+        merged = dict(saved)
+        merged.update(current)
+        result["ansible_facts"] = merged
+
+        return result

tests/library/merge_ansible_facts.py

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Ansible module to merge saved facts with current Ansible facts.
+# The result is saved_facts with any keys/values overridden by current_ansible_facts.
+#
+# Created by Claude AI running in Cursor
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+DOCUMENTATION = r"""
+---
+module: merge_ansible_facts
+short_description: Merge saved facts with current Ansible facts
+version_added: "1.0.0"
+description:
+  - Does O(saved_ansible_facts.update(current_ansible_facts)) and returns the result.
+author:
+  - Linux System Roles
+options:
+  current_ansible_facts:
+    description: Current Ansible facts.
+    type: dict
+    required: true
+  saved_ansible_facts:
+    description: Previously saved facts.
+    type: dict
+    required: true
+"""
+
+EXAMPLES = r"""
+- name: Update saved facts with current facts
+  merge_ansible_facts:
+    current_ansible_facts: "{{ ansible_facts }}"
+    saved_ansible_facts: "{{ saved_ansible_facts }}"
+  register: merged
+
+- name: Use updated facts
+  set_fact:
+    ansible_facts: "{{ merged.ansible_facts }}"
+"""
+
+RETURN = r"""
+ansible_facts:
+  description: saved_facts with keys/values overridden by current_ansible_facts.
+  returned: success
+  type: dict
+"""

tests/setup-snapshot.yml

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
   hosts: all
   tasks:
     - name: Set platform/version specific variables
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
+      vars:
         tasks_from: set_vars.yml
         public: true
 

tests/tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+# Task file: save facts, clear_facts, run linux-system-roles.storage, then restore facts.
+# Include this with include_tasks or import_tasks; ensure tests/library is in module search path.
+
+- name: Save current ansible facts
+  set_fact:
+    saved_facts: "{{ ansible_facts }}"
+
+- name: Clear facts
+  meta: clear_facts
+
+- name: Run the role
+  include_role:
+    name: linux-system-roles.storage
+    tasks_from: "{{ tasks_from | default('main') }}"
+    public: "{{ public | default(false) }}"
+
+- name: Reset ansible_facts (saved base with current overrides)
+  merge_ansible_facts:
+    current_ansible_facts: "{{ ansible_facts }}"
+    saved_ansible_facts: "{{ saved_facts }}"

tests/tests_change_disk_fs.yml

@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
       else 'ext4' }}"
   tasks:
     - name: Run the role
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
 
     - name: Mark tasks to be skipped
       set_fact:
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@
           - "{{ (lookup('env',
                         'SYSTEM_ROLES_REMOVE_CLOUD_INIT') in ['', 'false']) |
                 ternary('packages_installed', '') }}"
-          - service_facts
 
     - name: Get unused disks
       include_tasks: get_unused_disk.yml
@@ -31,8 +29,7 @@
         max_return: 1
 
     - name: Create a disk device with the default file system type
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -44,8 +41,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Change the disk device file system type to {{ fs_type_after }}
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -58,8 +54,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Repeat the previous invocation to verify idempotence
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -72,8 +67,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Clean up
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1

tests/tests_change_disk_mount.yml

@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
       changed_when: false
 
     - name: Run the role
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
 
     - name: Mark tasks to be skipped
       set_fact:
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@
           - "{{ (lookup('env',
                         'SYSTEM_ROLES_REMOVE_CLOUD_INIT') in ['', 'false']) |
                 ternary('packages_installed', '') }}"
-          - service_facts
 
     - name: Get unused disks
       include_tasks: get_unused_disk.yml
@@ -39,8 +37,7 @@
         max_return: 1
 
     - name: Create a disk device mounted at "{{ mount_location_before }}"
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -52,8 +49,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Change the disk device mount location to {{ mount_location_after }}
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -65,8 +61,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Repeat the previous invocation to verify idempotence
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1
@@ -78,8 +73,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Clean up
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_volumes:
           - name: test1

tests/tests_change_fs.yml

@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 
   tasks:
     - name: Run the role
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
 
     - name: Mark tasks to be skipped
       set_fact:
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@
           - "{{ (lookup('env',
                         'SYSTEM_ROLES_REMOVE_CLOUD_INIT') in ['', 'false']) |
                 ternary('packages_installed', '') }}"
-          - service_facts
 
     - name: Get unused disks
       include_tasks: get_unused_disk.yml
@@ -33,8 +31,7 @@
         max_return: 1
 
     - name: Create a LVM logical volume with default fs_type
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo
@@ -48,8 +45,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Change the file system signature on the logical volume created above
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo
@@ -64,8 +60,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Re-run the role on the same volume without specifying fs_type
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo
@@ -86,8 +81,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Repeat the previous invocation to verify idempotence
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo
@@ -102,8 +96,7 @@
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
     - name: Remove the FS
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo
@@ -116,10 +109,8 @@
     - name: Verify role results - 5
       include_tasks: verify-role-results.yml
 
-
     - name: Clean up
-      include_role:
-        name: linux-system-roles.storage
+      include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
       vars:
         storage_pools:
           - name: foo