Using time stamps in a template?

I am looking for a way to put a time stamp into a template, without causing the file to be regenerated on each chef run. I want the time stamp to be updated only if something else has changed in the template, as well.

The use case is for generating a DNS zone file and updating the serial number only when there was a change.

Is there a common solution for this problem in Chef?

Kevin Keane

The NetTech

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You would have to implement the idempotence check yourself separate from the file contents. You could do something like make a template with the serial always set to 0, and use a notification that when that template changes trigger a ruby_block to bump the serial number on disk and write out the real template.

--Noah

On May 25, 2015, at 8:26 AM, Kevin Keane Subscription subscription@kkeane.com wrote:

I am looking for a way to put a time stamp into a template, without causing the file to be regenerated on each chef run. I want the time stamp to be updated only if something else has changed in the template, as well.

The use case is for generating a DNS zone file and updating the serial number only when there was a change.

Is there a common solution for this problem in Chef?

Kevin Keane

The NetTech

760-721-8339

http://www.4nettech.com

Our values: Privacy, Liberty, Justice

See https://www.4nettech.com/corp/the-nettech-values.html