#better_file

####Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Module Description - What the module does and why it is useful
3. Usage - Using the better_file function
4. Limitations - OS compatibility, etc.
5. Development - Guide for contributing to the module

##Overview

A better_file function which slurps files from full paths or puppet:/// uris

##Module Description

The puppet builtin file() function is severely limited as it will only operate on fully qualitied paths.

This is a well known issue.

This function fixes (or at least hacks around) that limitation for the common cases.

##Usage

###With a full path name

better_file('/a/full/path')

Works exactly like the built in file() function

###With a module uri

better_file('puppet:///modules/my_module/myfile')

Will resolve 'my_module' to a path on disk in the current environment, and will look inside the files/ subdirectory for that module

For example if your modules are in /etc/puppet/modules, then the above will try to find the file in /etc/puppet/modules/files/myfile

With a files uri

better_file('puppet:///files/myfile')

This will assume that your files are located under the $confdir/files (e.g. /etc/puppet/files)

##Limitations

Unless your fileserver is configured to serve the 'files' repository from $confdir/files then puppet:///files/ uris will not work.

Custom fileserver modules are unsupported.

##Development

Patches are welcome!

Please open a pull request on github :)