is there any way to verify the systemd service exists if systemd itself lies to us?

"found" is set from the output of (rc, out, err) = module.run_command("%s show '%s'" % (systemctl, unit)). Replace show by list-unit-files should fix this problem since list-unit-files works in chroot environment :

[root@archiso /]# systemctl list-unit-files systemd-timesyncd.service 
UNIT FILE                 STATE   
systemd-timesyncd.service disabled

1 unit files listed.

Just noting that this prevents folks from using service/systemd modules in an installer environment like kickstart/anaconda -- which is counterintuitive because commands like systemctl enable and systemctl disable work.

sadly list-unit-files won't find init scripts systemd can also manage .... rock meet hard place

also it REQUIRES .service ... which is not required by the other commands

@Koaxiel @hamr I don't have systemd chroot setup, see if you can confirm that #21072 fixes the issue for you.

I didn't test yet, but it seems limited to service unit and doesn't handle the timer, socket, etc units

also it REQUIRES .service ... which is not required by the other commands

Maybe, unlike service module, name parameter should be the entire name unit for this module

probably a 'less friendly' approach is required here. I'll remove the 'auto add of .service' and make note in description: for some environments (i.e. chroot) you'll need to specify the full name of the unit file.

updated, less friendly now but there is note in docs hinting at using .service/etc names.

Sorry, I just have time to test and it doesn't work because the rc of systemctl show 'unit' is 0 in chroot env with this output Running in chroot, ignoring request.

Just tested this (on 2.3.0.0-r1), and found it is not working. This is because the message Running in chroot, ignoring request. is in err, not in out, which is being searched.

Sorry to spam a closed bug, but systemctl supports the "--root" option which can be used to specify the chroot location for these operations.

Was hoping something like this would work, but DOES NOT:

  - name: Enable ntp service
    service: 
      name: ntpd
      enabled: yes
      state: started
      arguments: "--root=/mnt"

  - name: Enable ssh service
    service: 
      name: sshd
      enabled: yes
      state: started
      arguments: "--root=/mnt"

Ansible outputs:

 [WARNING]: Ignoring "arguments" as it is not used in "systemd"

Where the symlinks are not created in the chroot area...

However, hacking something together with the good ole' shell module:

  - name: "Enable ntp service W/A: Passing arguments to systemctl"
    shell: "/usr/bin/systemctl enable ntpd --root=/mnt" 
    args: 
      executable: /usr/bin/bash
 
  - name: "Enable sshd service W/A: Passing arguments to systemctl"
    shell: "/usr/bin/systemctl enable sshd --root=/mnt" 
    args: 
      executable: /usr/bin/bash 

Does work, and creates the expected symlinks under the chroot area for Arch Linux.