xfconf module state absent causes exception

[baztian]

SUMMARY

Running xfconf module with state = absent causes an error:

AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'lower'

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

xfconf

ANSIBLE VERSION

ansible 2.8.5
  config file = /home/me/Sources/ansible-mint-setup/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/me/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /home/me/Software/ansible/lib/python3.5/site-packages/ansible
  executable location = /home/me/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.5.2 (default, Oct  8 2019, 13:06:37) [GCC 5.4.0 20160609]

CONFIGURATION

ANSIBLE_NOCOWS(/home/me/Sources/ansible-mint-setup/ansible.cfg) = True

OS / ENVIRONMENT

Linux mint

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

  - name: Remove stuff
    xfconf:
      channel: xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts
      property: "/xfwm4/custom/<Alt>space"
      state: absent

EXPECTED RESULTS

I'm expecting the property (/xfwm4/custom/<Alt>space) gets removed

ACTUAL RESULTS

TASK [baztian.xfce : Remove stuff] *********************************************
An exception occurred during task execution. To see the full traceback, use -vvv. The error was: AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'lower'
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "module_stderr": "Traceback (most recent call last):\n  File \"/home/me/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1571599392.6388974-76577773196690/AnsiballZ_xfconf.py\", line 114, in <module>\n    _ansiballz_main()\n  File \"/home/me/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1571599392.6388974-76577773196690/AnsiballZ_xfconf.py\", line 106, in _ansiballz_main\n    invoke_module(zipped_mod, temp_path, ANSIBALLZ_PARAMS)\n  File \"/home/me/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1571599392.6388974-76577773196690/AnsiballZ_xfconf.py\", line 49, in invoke_module\n    imp.load_module('__main__', mod, module, MOD_DESC)\n  File \"/tmp/ansible_xfconf_payload_ykcC_N/__main__.py\", line 215, in <module>\n  File \"/tmp/ansible_xfconf_payload_ykcC_N/__main__.py\", line 156, in main\nAttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'lower'\n", "module_stdout": "", "msg": "MODULE FAILURE\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error", "rc": 1}

WORKAROUND

Supply value and value_type although they are not used.

  - name: Remove stuff
    xfconf:
      channel: xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts
      value: dummy
      value_type: string
      property: "/xfwm4/custom/<Alt>space"
      state: absent

[ansibot]

Files identified in the description:
None

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

click here for bot help

[baztian]

Also xfconf always reports "changed" for my work around.

[Akasurde]

!component =lib/ansible/modules/system/xfconf.py

[Akasurde]

@baztian Could you please fill other details in the issue so that it will be easy to debug ? Thanks

needs_info

[ansibot]

Files identified in the description:

• lib/ansible/modules/system/xfconf.py

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

click here for bot help

[ansibot]

cc @jbenden
click here for bot help

[jbenden]

cc @russoz

[baztian]

Sorry @Akasurde the issue text got somehow lost. I've now updated it.

[russoz]

@baztian Thanks for reporting it. Bear in mind this module is about to get a major revamp in #62578
Cheers, Alex

[Akasurde]

@baztian Could you please check PR #62578 and let us know if it works for you ? Thanks.

needs_info

[baztian]

@Akasurde, just tried the PR. This works. One thing to optimize though is that it always reports changed for already absent properties.

[Akasurde]

@russoz Could you please address above comment ? Thanks.

[russoz]

@Akasurde sure! Will add to #62578 (along with a couple of other fixes/improvements).

[russoz]

@baztian I have pushed the changes, would you please confirm the results?

[baztian]

Thanks @russoz . This seems to work. Without the dummy properties and no changes reported on consecutive runs. Good work! 👍

[russoz]

Yay, happy to know that! :-)

[russoz]

@Akasurde I suppose we're good to go. What's next now?

[ansibot]

Thank you very much for your interest in Ansible. Ansible has migrated much of the content into separate repositories to allow for more rapid, independent development. We are closing this issue/PR because this content has been moved to one or more collection repositories.

• lib/ansible/modules/system/xfconf.py -> https://galaxy.ansible.com/community/general

For further information, please see:
https://github.com/ansible/ansibullbot/blob/master/docs/collection_migration.md