Using multiple file sources

A neat feature of Puppet's file resource is that you can specify multiple values for the source parameter. Puppet will search them in order. If the first source isn't found, it moves on to the next, and so on. You can use this to specify a default substitute if the particular file isn't present, or even a series of increasingly generic substitutes.

How to do it…

This example demonstrates using multiple file sources:

1. Modify your manifests/nodes.pp file as follows:

   node 'cookbook' {
     file { '/tmp/greeting':
       source => [ 'puppet:///modules/admin/hello.txt',
                   'puppet:///modules/admin/generic.txt'],
     }
   }

2. Create the file modules/admin/files/hello.txt with the following contents:

   Hello, world.

3. Create the file modules/admin/files/generic.txt with the following contents:

   All-purpose greeting, sentient beings.

4. Run Puppet:

   ubuntu@cookbook:~/puppet$ papply
   Notice: /Stage[main]//Node[cookbook]/File[/tmp/greeting]/ensure: defined content as '{md5}54098b367d2e87b078671fad4afb9dbb...