From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Ian Jackson <Ian.Jackson@eu.citrix.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC OSSTEST 11/19] standalone: Introduce
	"HostGroups" for use in OSSTEST_CONFIG
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 15:44:25 +0100
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To: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>
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Ian Campbell writes ("[PATCH RFC OSSTEST 11/19] standalone: Introduce "HostGroups" for use in OSSTEST_CONFIG"):
> This saves repeating identical HostProp and HostFlags for sets of identical
> machines. e.g.

The existing code is rather weird in that host properties from the
configuration are dealt with in TestSupport (so apply to both
standalone and executive), but host flags in the config are dealt with
in HostDB/Static.pm (so apply only to standalone).

> I was unsure whether HostGroupProp's ought to be processed before or
> after the HostDB properties, but since the latter is a NOP I've
> arbitrarily put them before.

The HostDB properties are not a NOP if the HostDB isn't Static!

In general the configuration should override the database.  So I think
this is the wrong way round.

> diff --git a/README b/README
> index 9a85549..b4f9cfb 100644
> --- a/README
> +++ b/README
> @@ -333,6 +333,26 @@ HostProp_<testbox>_TftpScope
>     Defines the Tftp scope (i.e. subnet) where this host resides. See
>     "TftpFoo_<scope> and TftpFoo" below.
>  
> +HostFlags_<testbox>
> +   Defines a set of flags for the host. Flags is a list separated by
> +   whitespace, comma or semi-colon. A flag can be unset by prepending
> +   a !. Only used in standalone mode.
> +
> +HostGroup_<testbox> <group>
> +   Defines a group of similar hosts of which <testbox> is a
> +   member. This can then be used with HostGroupProp and HostGroupFlags

Thanks for documenting this.

> +HostGroupProps_<group>_<prop>
> +   Equivalent to writing HostProp_<testbox>_<prop> for every testbox
> +   which declares HostGroup_<testbox>_<group>. Allows setting a set of
> +   common properties for a group of similar machines.

You should specify that this overrides the hostdb but is overridden by
host-specific properties.

> +HostGroupFlags_<group>
> +   Equivalent to writing HostFlags_<testbox> for every testbox which
> +   declares HostGroup_<testbox>_<group>. Allows setting a set of
> +   common flags for a group of similar machines. Only used in
> +   standalone mode.

You should say that this is merged with the host-specific properties
and applies only to standlone mode.

Ian.