Salt-API has no Return-Code

[meaksh]

Description of Issue/Question

As discussed with @rallytime , I bring #36318 (comment) as a new issue to rise a discussion about how we can approach this.

"Salt-API does not have Return-Code": You cannot differentiate between a value "False" and Minion down producing "False".

Example:

curl -sSk http://localhost:9080/ 
  -H 'Accept: application/json' 
  -H 'X-Auth-Token: xyz'
   -d client=local
   -d tgt='*'
   -d fun=grains.get -d arg=ip_gw

This return when minion is running:

{"return": [{"minion": true}]}

When I stop the minion I get:

{"return": [{"minion": false}]}

How should I know that "false" mean here "minion down" and that it is not the value for the grain ip_gw?

[Ch3LL]

Can you include a versions report?

[mchugh19]

Similar to #37043

[brejoc]

@Ch3LL This is pretty much version independent, since it's more or less a design flaw in Salt-API. So this happens in 2016.x, 2017.x and 2018.x.

[Ch3LL]

Thanks for specifying the versions. appreciate it @brejoc

Through the issue @mchugh19 pointed me too I found this PR: #41356 I know that does not resolve this particular issue but figured it might be useful to know for others related to this issue.

I will keep this issue open while still linked to 37043 as its a specific use case and we can focus on fixing this as well.

[Ch3LL]

ping @saltstack/team-netapi any ideas here on a fix?

[mattp-]

as referenced in #41356 you can use full_return kwarg to access the retcode among other metadata of the job. this issue can be resolved.

[mchugh19]

@mattp- I think the referenced feature only supports the LocalClient and Runner cmd function. So it helps, but doesn't fully address the issue raised here and in #37043

[mattp-]

@mchugh19 it looks like wheel client also supports full_return. the example in the original issue is also covered, ie:

DEBUG 2018-04-25 18:27:04,993 libpepper: [{'tgt_type': 'glob', 'full_return': True, 'tgt': 'testbox', 'batch': None, 'client': 'local', 'arg': [], 'fun': 'test.false'}]
{
    "return": [
        {
            "testbox": {
                "jid": "20180425182705054749",
                "ret": false,
                "retcode": 0
            }
        }
    ]
}

[brejoc]

Ah, this looks good. Thanks @mattp-!

@lucidd, what do you think?

[lucidd]

looks good. Is there any documentation regarding retcode?

[brejoc]

@lucidd I'm not aware of anything. @meaksh, @isbm maybe?

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

If this issue is closed prematurely, please leave a comment and we will gladly reopen the issue.

[brejoc]

I don't think that anything has changed here!

[stale]

Thank you for updating this issue. It is no longer marked as stale.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

If this issue is closed prematurely, please leave a comment and we will gladly reopen the issue.

[sagetherage]

not stale

[stale]

Thank you for updating this issue. It is no longer marked as stale.

[twangboy]

Closing this issue due to age and lack of activity. Please test this on version 3006.2 and create a new issue if the problem persists. The new issue template has more information and will allow us to track and reproduce the issue more effectively. Thanks!