Re: [etch-users] When running a script, how to properly indicate an error

[Jason H. <jh...@ap...>]

On Jul 12, 2011, at 10:38 AM, Johnston, Nathaniel wrote:

> I have a configuration I am working on that will set up /etc/snmpd.conf on some of my hosts.  In order for me to properly set the SNMP trap destinations using the "trapsink" directive, I need to call out to an external resource.  In the event that the external resource call fails for whatever reason, I do not want Etch to take action for that run.  What is the proper way in my script to indicate "An error occurred, do not etch this particular /etc/snmpd.conf" in a graceful manner?

Add nothing to @contents.  If nothing is added to @contents then etch will skip the file.

So for example, instead of this:

@contents << "First line"
@contents << `something that might break`

Do something like this:

externalbits = `something that might break`
if externalbits
  @contents << "First line"
  @contents << externalbits
end

That way if your external resource fails nothing gets added to @contents.

Jason