Ejemplo n.º 1
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    def extract(self, host):
        """Extract the kernel package.

        This function is only useful to access the content of the
        package (for example the kernel image) without
        installing it. It is not necessary to run this function to
        install the kernel.

        Args:
                host: the host on which to extract the kernel package.

        Returns:
                The full path to the temporary directory on host where
                the package was extracted.

        Raises:
                AutoservError: no package has yet been obtained. Call
                        DEBKernel.get() with a .deb package.
        """
        if self.source_material is None:
            raise error.AutoservError("A kernel must first be "
                                      "specified via get()")

        remote_tmpdir = host.get_tmp_dir()
        basename = os.path.basename(self.source_material)
        remote_filename = os.path.join(remote_tmpdir, basename)
        host.send_file(self.source_material, remote_filename)
        content_dir= os.path.join(remote_tmpdir, "contents")
        host.run('dpkg -x "%s" "%s"' % (utils.sh_escape(remote_filename),
                                        utils.sh_escape(content_dir),))

        return content_dir
Ejemplo n.º 2
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    def _run(self, command, timeout, ignore_status, stdout, stderr,
             connect_timeout, env, options, stdin, args):
        """Helper function for run()."""
        ssh_cmd = self.ssh_command(connect_timeout, options)
        if not env.strip():
            env = ""
        else:
            env = "export %s;" % env
        for arg in args:
            command += ' "%s"' % utils.sh_escape(arg)
        full_cmd = '%s "%s %s"' % (ssh_cmd, env, utils.sh_escape(command))
        result = utils.run(full_cmd, timeout, True, stdout, stderr,
                           verbose=False, stdin=stdin,
                           stderr_is_expected=ignore_status)

        # The error messages will show up in band (indistinguishable
        # from stuff sent through the SSH connection), so we have the
        # remote computer echo the message "Connected." before running
        # any command.  Since the following 2 errors have to do with
        # connecting, it's safe to do these checks.
        if result.exit_status == 255:
            if re.search(r'^ssh: connect to host .* port .*: '
                         r'Connection timed out\r$', result.stderr):
                raise error.AutoservSSHTimeout("ssh timed out", result)
            if "Permission denied." in result.stderr:
                msg = "ssh permission denied"
                raise error.AutoservSshPermissionDeniedError(msg, result)

        if not ignore_status and result.exit_status > 0:
            raise error.AutoservRunError("command execution error", result)

        return result
Ejemplo n.º 3
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    def get_installed_autodir(cls, host):
        """
        Find where the Autotest client is installed on the host.
        :return: an absolute path to an installed Autotest client root.
        :raise AutodirNotFoundError if no Autotest installation can be found.
        """
        autodir = host.get_autodir()
        if autodir:
            logging.debug('Using existing host autodir: %s', autodir)
            return autodir

        if not _server_system_wide_install():
            for path in Autotest.get_client_autodir_paths(host):
                try:
                    autotest_binary = os.path.join(path, 'autotest')
                    host.run('test -x %s' % utils.sh_escape(autotest_binary))
                    host.run('test -w %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
                    logging.debug('Found existing autodir at %s', path)
                    return path
                except error.AutoservRunError:
                    logging.debug('%s does not exist on %s', autotest_binary,
                                  host.hostname)
        else:
            for path in Autotest.get_client_autodir_paths(host):
                host.run('test -w %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
                logging.debug('Found existing autodir at %s', path)
                host.autodir = path
                return path

        raise AutodirNotFoundError
Ejemplo n.º 4
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    def install(self, host, **kwargs):
        """
        Install a kernel on the remote host.

        This will also invoke the guest's bootloader to set this
        kernel as the default kernel.

        Args:
                host: the host on which to install the kernel
                [kwargs]: remaining keyword arguments will be passed
                        to Bootloader.add_kernel()

        Raises:
                AutoservError: no package has yet been obtained. Call
                        DEBKernel.get() with a .deb package.
        """
        if self.source_material is None:
            raise error.AutoservError("A kernel must first be "
                                      "specified via get()")

        remote_tmpdir = host.get_tmp_dir()
        basename = os.path.basename(self.source_material)
        remote_filename = os.path.join(remote_tmpdir, basename)
        host.send_file(self.source_material, remote_filename)
        host.run('dpkg -i "%s"' % (utils.sh_escape(remote_filename),))
        host.run('mkinitramfs -o "%s" "%s"' % (
                utils.sh_escape(self.get_initrd_name()),
                utils.sh_escape(self.get_version()),))

        host.bootloader.add_kernel(self.get_image_name(),
                initrd=self.get_initrd_name(), **kwargs)
Ejemplo n.º 5
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    def test_install(self):
        self.common_code()

        # record
        self.host.run.expect_call('dpkg -i "%s"' %
                                  (utils.sh_escape(self.remote_filename)))

        result = common_utils.CmdResult()
        result.stdout = "1"
        utils.run.expect_call('dpkg-deb -f "%s" version' %
                              utils.sh_escape(self.kernel.source_material)).and_return(result)
        utils.run.expect_call('dpkg-deb -f "%s" version' %
                              utils.sh_escape(self.kernel.source_material)).and_return(result)
        self.host.run.expect_call('mkinitramfs -o "/boot/initrd.img-1" "1"')

        utils.run.expect_call('dpkg-deb -f "%s" version' %
                              utils.sh_escape(self.kernel.source_material)).and_return(result)
        utils.run.expect_call('dpkg-deb -f "%s" version' %
                              utils.sh_escape(self.kernel.source_material)).and_return(result)
        self.host.bootloader.add_kernel.expect_call('/boot/vmlinuz-1',
                                                    initrd='/boot/initrd.img-1')

        # run and check
        self.kernel.install(self.host)
        self.god.check_playback()
Ejemplo n.º 6
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    def add_args(self, kernel, args):
        """
        Add cmdline arguments for the specified kernel.

        :param kernel: can be a position number (index) or title
        :param args: argument to be added to the current list of args
        """
        return self._run_boottool_exit_status(
            "--update-kernel=%s" % utils.sh_escape(str(kernel)), "--args=%s" % utils.sh_escape(args)
        )
Ejemplo n.º 7
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    def remove_args(self, kernel, args):
        """
        Removes specified cmdline arguments.

        @param kernel: can be a position number (index) or title
        @param args: argument to be removed of the current list of args
        """
        return self._run_boottool_exit_status('--update-kernel=%s' %
                                              utils.sh_escape(str(kernel)),
                                              '--remove-args=%s' %
                                              utils.sh_escape(args))
Ejemplo n.º 8
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 def _find_installable_dir(cls, host):
     client_autodir_paths = cls.get_client_autodir_paths(host)
     for path in client_autodir_paths:
         try:
             host.run('mkdir -p %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
             host.run('test -w %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
             return path
         except error.AutoservRunError:
             logging.debug('Failed to create %s', path)
     raise error.AutoservInstallError(
         'Unable to find a place to install Autotest; tried %s' %
         ', '.join(client_autodir_paths))
Ejemplo n.º 9
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    def test_extract(self):
        # setup
        self.common_code()
        content_dir = os.path.join(self.remote_tmpdir, "contents")

        # record
        self.host.run.expect_call('dpkg -x "%s" "%s"' %
                                  (utils.sh_escape(self.remote_filename),
                                   utils.sh_escape(content_dir)))

        # run and test
        self.kernel.extract(self.host)
        self.god.check_playback()
Ejemplo n.º 10
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    def _install(self, host=None, autodir=None, use_autoserv=True,
                 use_packaging=True):
        """
        Install autotest.  If get() was not called previously, an
        attempt will be made to install from the autotest svn
        repository.

        @param host A Host instance on which autotest will be installed
        @param autodir Location on the remote host to install to
        @param use_autoserv Enable install modes that depend on the client
            running with the autoserv harness
        @param use_packaging Enable install modes that use the packaging system

        @exception AutoservError If it wasn't possible to install the client
                after trying all available methods
        """
        if not host:
            host = self.host
        if not self.got:
            self.get()
        host.wait_up(timeout=30)
        host.setup()
        logging.info("Installing autotest on %s", host.hostname)

        # set up the autotest directory on the remote machine
        if not autodir:
            autodir = self.get_install_dir(host)
        logging.info('Using installation dir %s', autodir)
        host.set_autodir(autodir)
        host.run('mkdir -p %s' % utils.sh_escape(autodir))

        # make sure there are no files in $AUTODIR/results
        results_path = os.path.join(autodir, 'results')
        host.run('rm -rf %s/*' % utils.sh_escape(results_path),
                 ignore_status=True)

        # Fetch the autotest client from the nearest repository
        if use_packaging:
            try:
                self._install_using_packaging(host, autodir)
                self._create_test_output_dir(host, autodir)
                logging.info("Installation of autotest completed")
                self.installed = True
                return
            except (error.PackageInstallError, error.AutoservRunError,
                    global_config.ConfigError), e:
                logging.info("Could not install autotest using the packaging "
                             "system: %s. Trying other methods", e)
Ejemplo n.º 11
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    def _install_using_send_file(self, host, autodir):
        dirs_to_exclude = set(["tests", "site_tests", "deps", "profilers"])
        light_files = [os.path.join(self.source_material, f)
                       for f in os.listdir(self.source_material)
                       if f not in dirs_to_exclude]
        # needs updating when grubby version is changed
        light_files.append(os.path.join(self.source_material,
                           "deps/grubby/grubby-8.13.tar.bz2"))
        host.send_file(light_files, autodir, delete_dest=True)

        profilers_autodir = os.path.join(autodir, 'profilers')
        profilers_init = os.path.join(self.source_material, 'profilers',
                                      '__init__.py')
        host.run("mkdir -p %s" % profilers_autodir)
        host.send_file(profilers_init, profilers_autodir, delete_dest=True)
        dirs_to_exclude.discard("profilers")

        # create empty dirs for all the stuff we excluded
        commands = []
        for path in dirs_to_exclude:
            abs_path = os.path.join(autodir, path)
            abs_path = utils.sh_escape(abs_path)
            commands.append("mkdir -p '%s'" % abs_path)
            commands.append("touch '%s'/__init__.py" % abs_path)
        host.run(';'.join(commands))
Ejemplo n.º 12
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def _client_system_wide_install(host):
    for path in SYSTEM_WIDE_PATHS:
        try:
            host.run('test -x %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
        except:
            return False
    return True
Ejemplo n.º 13
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    def uninstall(self, host=None):
        """
        Uninstall (i.e. delete) autotest. Removes the autotest client install
        from the specified host.

        @params host a Host instance from which the client will be removed
        """
        if not self.installed:
            return
        if self.server_system_wide_install:
            uninstall_cmd = UNINSTALL_CLIENT_CMD_MAPPING.get(self.os_vendor,
                                                             None)
            if uninstall_cmd is not None:
                logging.info("Trying to uninstall autotest using distro "
                             "provided package manager")
                host.run(uninstall_cmd)
            return
        if not host:
            host = self.host
        autodir = host.get_autodir()
        if not autodir:
            return

        # perform the actual uninstall
        host.run("rm -rf %s" % utils.sh_escape(autodir), ignore_status=True)
        host.set_autodir(None)
        self.installed = False
Ejemplo n.º 14
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    def _install_using_send_file(self, host, autodir):
        dirs_to_exclude = set(["tests", "site_tests", "deps", "profilers"])
        light_files = [os.path.join(self.source_material, f)
                       for f in os.listdir(self.source_material)
                       if f not in dirs_to_exclude]

        # there should be one and only one grubby tarball
        grubby_glob = os.path.join(self.source_material,
                                   "deps/grubby/grubby-*.tar.bz2")
        grubby_tarball_paths = glob.glob(grubby_glob)
        if grubby_tarball_paths:
            grubby_tarball_path = grubby_tarball_paths[0]
            if os.path.exists(grubby_tarball_path):
                light_files.append(grubby_tarball_path)

        host.send_file(light_files, autodir, delete_dest=True)

        profilers_autodir = os.path.join(autodir, 'profilers')
        profilers_init = os.path.join(self.source_material, 'profilers',
                                      '__init__.py')
        host.run("mkdir -p %s" % profilers_autodir)
        host.send_file(profilers_init, profilers_autodir, delete_dest=True)
        dirs_to_exclude.discard("profilers")

        # create empty dirs for all the stuff we excluded
        commands = []
        for path in dirs_to_exclude:
            abs_path = os.path.join(autodir, path)
            abs_path = utils.sh_escape(abs_path)
            commands.append("mkdir -p '%s'" % abs_path)
            commands.append("touch '%s'/__init__.py" % abs_path)
        host.run(';'.join(commands))
Ejemplo n.º 15
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    def boot_once(self, title):
        if self._host().job:
            self._host().job.last_boot_tag = title

        title_opt = '--title=%s' % utils.sh_escape(title)
        return self._run_boottool_exit_status('--boot-once',
                                              title_opt)
Ejemplo n.º 16
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    def run_async(self, command, stdout_tee=None, stderr_tee=None, args=(),
                  connect_timeout=30, options='', verbose=True,
                  stderr_level=utils.DEFAULT_STDERR_LEVEL,
                  cmd_outside_subshell=''):
        """
        Run a command on the remote host. Returns an AsyncJob object to
        interact with the remote process.

        This is mostly copied from SSHHost.run and SSHHost._run
        """
        if verbose:
            logging.debug("Running (async ssh) '%s'" % command)

        # Start a master SSH connection if necessary.
        self.start_master_ssh()

        self.send_file(os.path.join(self.job.clientdir, "shared", "hosts",
                                    "scripts", "run_helper.py"),
                       os.path.join(self.job.tmpdir, "run_helper.py"))

        env = " ".join("=".join(pair) for pair in self.env.iteritems())

        ssh_cmd = self.ssh_command(connect_timeout, options)
        if not env.strip():
            env = ""
        else:
            env = "export %s;" % env
        for arg in args:
            command += ' "%s"' % utils.sh_escape(arg)
        full_cmd = '{ssh_cmd} "{env} {cmd}"'.format(
            ssh_cmd=ssh_cmd, env=env,
            cmd=utils.sh_escape("%s (%s '%s')" % (cmd_outside_subshell,
                                                  os.path.join(self.job.tmpdir, "run_helper.py"),
                                                  utils.sh_escape(command))))

        job = utils.AsyncJob(full_cmd, stdout_tee=stdout_tee,
                             stderr_tee=stderr_tee, verbose=verbose,
                             stderr_level=stderr_level,
                             stdin=subprocess.PIPE)

        def kill_func():
            # this triggers the remote kill
            utils.nuke_subprocess(job.sp)

        job.kill_func = kill_func

        return job
Ejemplo n.º 17
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 def _run_boottool_cmd(self, *options):
     '''
     Runs a boottool command, escaping parameters
     '''
     cmd = self._get_boottool_path()
     # FIXME: add unsafe options strings sequence to host.run() parameters
     for option in options:
         cmd += ' "%s"' % utils.sh_escape(option)
     return self._host().run(cmd)
Ejemplo n.º 18
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    def close(self):
        super(RemoteHost, self).close()
        self.stop_loggers()

        if hasattr(self, 'tmp_dirs'):
            for dir in self.tmp_dirs:
                try:
                    self.run('rm -rf "%s"' % (utils.sh_escape(dir)))
                except error.AutoservRunError:
                    pass
Ejemplo n.º 19
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    def _make_ssh_cmd(self, cmd):
        """
        Create a base ssh command string for the host which can be used
        to run commands directly on the machine
        """
        base_cmd = make_ssh_command(user=self.user, port=self.port,
                                    opts=self.master_ssh_option,
                                    hosts_file=self.known_hosts_file)

        return '%s %s "%s"' % (base_cmd, self.hostname, utils.sh_escape(cmd))
Ejemplo n.º 20
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    def set_default_by_index(self, index):
        """
        Sets the given entry number to be the default on every next boot

        To set a default only for the next boot, use boot_once() instead.

        :param index: entry index number to set as the default.
        """
        if self._host().job:
            self._host().job.last_boot_tag = None
        return self._run_boottool_exit_status("--set-default=%s" % utils.sh_escape(str(index)))
Ejemplo n.º 21
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    def test_get_version(self):
        # record
        result = common_utils.CmdResult()
        result.exit_status = 0
        result.stdout = "image"

        cmd = "rpm -qpi %s | grep Version | awk '{print($3);}'" % (utils.sh_escape("source.rpm"))
        utils.run.expect_call(cmd).and_return(result)

        # run and test
        self.assertEquals(self.kernel.get_version(), result.stdout)
        self.god.check_playback()
Ejemplo n.º 22
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    def get_file(self, source, dest, delete_dest=False, preserve_perm=True,
                 preserve_symlinks=False):
        """
        Copy files from the remote host to a local path.

        Directories will be copied recursively.
        If a source component is a directory with a trailing slash,
        the content of the directory will be copied, otherwise, the
        directory itself and its content will be copied. This
        behavior is similar to that of the program 'rsync'.

        Args:
                source: either
                        1) a single file or directory, as a string
                        2) a list of one or more (possibly mixed)
                                files or directories
                dest: a file or a directory (if source contains a
                        directory or more than one element, you must
                        supply a directory dest)
                delete_dest: if this is true, the command will also clear
                             out any old files at dest that are not in the
                             source
                preserve_perm: tells get_file() to try to preserve the sources
                               permissions on files and dirs
                preserve_symlinks: try to preserve symlinks instead of
                                   transforming them into files/dirs on copy

        Raises:
                AutoservRunError: the scp command failed
        """

        # Start a master SSH connection if necessary.
        self.start_master_ssh()

        if isinstance(source, basestring):
            source = [source]
        dest = os.path.abspath(dest)

        # If rsync is disabled or fails, try scp.
        try_scp = True
        if self.use_rsync():
            try:
                remote_source = self._encode_remote_paths(source)
                local_dest = utils.sh_escape(dest)
                rsync = self._make_rsync_cmd([remote_source], local_dest,
                                             delete_dest, preserve_symlinks)
                utils.run(rsync)
                try_scp = False
            except error.CmdError, e:
                logging.warn("trying scp, rsync failed: %s" % e)
Ejemplo n.º 23
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    def get_installed_autodir(cls, host):
        """
        Find where the Autotest client is installed on the host.
        @returns an absolute path to an installed Autotest client root.
        @raises AutodirNotFoundError if no Autotest installation can be found.
        """
        autodir = host.get_autodir()
        if autodir:
            logging.debug('Using existing host autodir: %s', autodir)
            return autodir


        system_wide = True
        autotest_system_wide = '/usr/bin/autotest-local'
        try:
            host.run('test -x %s' % utils.sh_escape(autotest_system_wide))
            logging.info("System wide install detected")
        except:
            system_wide = False

        for path in Autotest.get_client_autodir_paths(host):
            try:
                try:
                    autotest_binary = os.path.join(path, 'autotest')
                    host.run('test -x %s' % utils.sh_escape(autotest_binary))
                except error.AutoservRunError:
                    if system_wide:
                        pass
                    else:
                        raise
                host.run('test -w %s' % utils.sh_escape(path))
                logging.debug('Found existing autodir at %s', path)
                return path
            except error.AutoservRunError:
                logging.debug('%s does not exist on %s', autotest_binary,
                              host.hostname)
        raise AutodirNotFoundError
Ejemplo n.º 24
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    def send_file(self, source, dest, delete_dest=False,
                  preserve_symlinks=False):
        """
        Copy files from a local path to the remote host.

        Directories will be copied recursively.
        If a source component is a directory with a trailing slash,
        the content of the directory will be copied, otherwise, the
        directory itself and its content will be copied. This
        behavior is similar to that of the program 'rsync'.

        Args:
                source: either
                        1) a single file or directory, as a string
                        2) a list of one or more (possibly mixed)
                                files or directories
                dest: a file or a directory (if source contains a
                        directory or more than one element, you must
                        supply a directory dest)
                delete_dest: if this is true, the command will also clear
                             out any old files at dest that are not in the
                             source
                preserve_symlinks: controls if symlinks on the source will be
                    copied as such on the destination or transformed into the
                    referenced file/directory

        Raises:
                AutoservRunError: the scp command failed
        """

        # Start a master SSH connection if necessary.
        self.start_master_ssh()

        if isinstance(source, basestring):
            source_is_dir = os.path.isdir(source)
            source = [source]
        remote_dest = self._encode_remote_paths([dest])

        # If rsync is disabled or fails, try scp.
        try_scp = True
        if self.use_rsync():
            try:
                local_sources = [utils.sh_escape(path) for path in source]
                rsync = self._make_rsync_cmd(local_sources, remote_dest,
                                             delete_dest, preserve_symlinks)
                utils.run(rsync)
                try_scp = False
            except error.CmdError, e:
                logging.warn("trying scp, rsync failed: %s" % e)
Ejemplo n.º 25
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    def get_version(self):
        """Get the version of the kernel to be installed.

        Returns:
                The version string, as would be returned
                by 'make kernelrelease'.

        Raises:
                AutoservError: no package has yet been obtained. Call
                        RPMKernel.get() with a .rpm package.
        """
        if self.source_material is None:
            raise error.AutoservError("A kernel must first be \
            specified via get()")

        retval = utils.run('rpm -qpi %s | grep Version | awk \'{print($3);}\''
            % utils.sh_escape(self.source_material))
        return retval.stdout.strip()
Ejemplo n.º 26
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    def get_version(self):
        """Get the version of the kernel to be installed.

        Returns:
                The version string, as would be returned
                by 'make kernelrelease'.

        Raises:
                AutoservError: no package has yet been obtained. Call
                        DEBKernel.get() with a .deb package.
        """
        if self.source_material is None:
            raise error.AutoservError("A kernel must first be "
                                      "specified via get()")

        retval= utils.run('dpkg-deb -f "%s" version' %
                utils.sh_escape(self.source_material),)
        return retval.stdout.strip()
Ejemplo n.º 27
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    def uninstall(self, host=None):
        """
        Uninstall (i.e. delete) autotest. Removes the autotest client install
        from the specified host.

        @params host a Host instance from which the client will be removed
        """
        if not self.installed:
            return
        if not host:
            host = self.host
        autodir = host.get_autodir()
        if not autodir:
            return

        # perform the actual uninstall
        host.run("rm -rf %s" % utils.sh_escape(autodir), ignore_status=True)
        host.set_autodir(None)
        self.installed = False
Ejemplo n.º 28
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    def _make_rsync_compatible_globs(self, path, is_local):
        """
        Given an rsync-style path, returns a list of globbed paths
        that will hopefully provide equivalent behaviour for scp. Does not
        support the full range of rsync pattern matching behaviour, only that
        exposed in the get/send_file interface (trailing slashes).

        The is_local param is flag indicating if the paths should be
        interpreted as local or remote paths.
        """

        # non-trailing slash paths should just work
        if len(path) == 0 or path[-1] != "/":
            return [path]

        # make a function to test if a pattern matches any files
        if is_local:
            def glob_matches_files(path, pattern):
                return len(glob.glob(path + pattern)) > 0
        else:
            def glob_matches_files(path, pattern):
                result = self.run("ls \"%s\"%s" % (utils.sh_escape(path),
                                                   pattern),
                                  stdout_tee=None, ignore_status=True)
                return result.exit_status == 0

        # take a set of globs that cover all files, and see which are needed
        patterns = ["*", ".[!.]*"]
        patterns = [p for p in patterns if glob_matches_files(path, p)]

        # convert them into a set of paths suitable for the commandline
        if is_local:
            return ["\"%s\"%s" % (utils.sh_escape(path), pattern)
                    for pattern in patterns]
        else:
            return [utils.scp_remote_escape(path) + pattern
                    for pattern in patterns]
Ejemplo n.º 29
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 def glob_matches_files(path, pattern):
     result = self.run("ls \"%s\"%s" %
                       (utils.sh_escape(path), pattern),
                       stdout_tee=None,
                       ignore_status=True)
     return result.exit_status == 0
Ejemplo n.º 30
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 def glob_matches_files(path, pattern):
     result = self.run("ls \"%s\"%s" % (utils.sh_escape(path),
                                        pattern),
                       stdout_tee=None, ignore_status=True)
     return result.exit_status == 0
Ejemplo n.º 31
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 def delete_tmp_dir(self, tmpdir):
     """
     Delete the given temporary directory on the remote machine.
     """
     self.run('rm -rf "%s"' % utils.sh_escape(tmpdir), ignore_status=True)
     self.tmp_dirs.remove(tmpdir)
Ejemplo n.º 32
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    def get_file(self,
                 source,
                 dest,
                 delete_dest=False,
                 preserve_perm=True,
                 preserve_symlinks=False):
        """
        Copy files from the remote host to a local path.

        Directories will be copied recursively.
        If a source component is a directory with a trailing slash,
        the content of the directory will be copied, otherwise, the
        directory itself and its content will be copied. This
        behavior is similar to that of the program 'rsync'.

        Args:
                source: either
                        1) a single file or directory, as a string
                        2) a list of one or more (possibly mixed)
                                files or directories
                dest: a file or a directory (if source contains a
                        directory or more than one element, you must
                        supply a directory dest)
                delete_dest: if this is true, the command will also clear
                             out any old files at dest that are not in the
                             source
                preserve_perm: tells get_file() to try to preserve the sources
                               permissions on files and dirs
                preserve_symlinks: try to preserve symlinks instead of
                                   transforming them into files/dirs on copy

        Raises:
                AutoservRunError: the scp command failed
        """

        # Start a master SSH connection if necessary.
        self.start_master_ssh()

        if isinstance(source, basestring):
            source = [source]
        dest = os.path.abspath(dest)

        # If rsync is disabled or fails, try scp.
        try_scp = True
        if self.use_rsync():
            try:
                remote_source = self._encode_remote_paths(source)
                local_dest = utils.sh_escape(dest)
                rsync = self._make_rsync_cmd([remote_source], local_dest,
                                             delete_dest, preserve_symlinks)
                utils.run(rsync)
                try_scp = False
            except error.CmdError as e:
                logging.warn("trying scp, rsync failed: %s" % e)

        if try_scp:
            # scp has no equivalent to --delete, just drop the entire dest dir
            if delete_dest and os.path.isdir(dest):
                shutil.rmtree(dest)
                os.mkdir(dest)

            remote_source = self._make_rsync_compatible_source(source, False)
            if remote_source:
                # _make_rsync_compatible_source() already did the escaping
                remote_source = self._encode_remote_paths(remote_source,
                                                          escape=False)
                local_dest = utils.sh_escape(dest)
                scp = self._make_scp_cmd([remote_source], local_dest)
                try:
                    utils.run(scp)
                except error.CmdError as e:
                    raise error.AutoservRunError(e.args[0], e.args[1])

        if not preserve_perm:
            # we have no way to tell scp to not try to preserve the
            # permissions so set them after copy instead.
            # for rsync we could use "--no-p --chmod=ugo=rwX" but those
            # options are only in very recent rsync versions
            self._set_umask_perms(dest)