Resource Type: anchor

Defined in:
vendor_modules/stdlib/lib/puppet/type/anchor.rb

Summary

A simple resource type intended to be used as an anchor in a composite class.

Overview

> Note: this has been replaced by core puppet `contain()` method. Please see puppet.com/docs/puppet/latest/lang_containment.html for more information.

In Puppet 2.6, when a class declares another class, the resources in the interior class are not contained by the exterior class. This interacts badly with the pattern of composing complex modules from smaller classes, as it makes it impossible for end users to specify order relationships between the exterior class and other modules.

The anchor type lets you work around this. By sandwiching any interior classes between two no-op resources that are contained by the exterior class, you can ensure that all resources in the module are contained.

“` class ntp {

# These classes will have the correct order relationship with each
# other. However, without anchors, they won't have any order
# relationship to Class['ntp'].
class { 'ntp::package': }
-> class { 'ntp::config': }
-> class { 'ntp::service': }

# These two resources "anchor" the composed classes within the ntp
# class.
anchor { 'ntp::begin': } -> Class['ntp::package']
Class['ntp::service']    -> anchor { 'ntp::end': }

} “`

This allows the end user of the ntp module to establish require and before relationships with Class:

“` class { 'ntp': } -> class { 'mcollective': } class { 'mcollective': } -> class { 'ntp': } “`

Parameters

  • name (namevar)

    The name of the anchor resource.