Ansible logging on 'command' task timeout

Question

I'm having issues to get my command output when task timeout is reached.

Here is my task:

  - name: test of echo-ing something
    ansible.builtin.command:
      cmd: "/bin/echo 'it works !'"
    timeout: 10
    register: command_result
    ignore_errors: yes

  - name: command_result
    ansible.builtin.debug:
      var: command_result

When there is no timeout, everything goes well, I have in command_result variable:

ok: [server1] => {
    "command_result": {
        "changed": true,
        "cmd": [
            "/bin/echo",
            "it works !"
        ],
        "delta": "0:00:00.004629",
        "end": "2022-03-24 09:47:12.104234",
        "failed": false,
        "msg": "",
        "rc": 0,
        "start": "2022-03-24 09:47:12.099605",
        "stderr": "",
        "stderr_lines": [],
        "stdout": "it works !",
        "stdout_lines": [
            "it works !"
        ]
    }
}

However, when I make my command triggering the timeout (for example: cmd: "/bin/sleep 40"), I have this :

TASK [test of echo-ing something] ***************************************
fatal: [server1]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "The ansible.builtin.command action failed to execute in the expected time frame (10) and was terminated"}
...ignoring

TASK [command_result] ***************************************************
ok: [server1] => {
    "command_result": {
        "changed": false,
        "failed": true,
        "msg": "The ansible.builtin.command action failed to execute in the expected time frame (10) and was terminated"
    }
}

How to get standard output (stdout) and/or standard error (stderr) from the command when timeout is reached ? On my CI/CD, I need it to know why a command had reached the timeout

Thanks !

[EDIT] Regarding the answer given by @vladimir-botka I found another way to timeout command and not tasks. I'm pasting it here just in case it helps other people:

- name: "exec my command"
  ansible.builtin.shell:
    cmd: "timeout -v --foreground --signal=SIGINT 600 my_script.sh"
    chdir: "{{ work_dir }}"
    executable: /bin/bash
  register: cmd_output
- name: "command output"
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    var: cmd_output

Vladimir Botka · Accepted Answer · 2022-03-24 14:46:48Z

4

Q: "How to get stdout and/or stderr from the command when timeout is reached ?"

A: When a timeout is reached the task will be terminated not the command. Task keyword timeout says:

Time limit for task to execute in, if exceeded Ansible will interrupt and fail the task.

As a result, you don't get stdout/stderr from the command when the task's timeout is reached.

^{Note
One might expect to get stdout/stderr from the terminated command. For example, the script
shell> cat sleep_10.sh
#!/bin/bash
echo PID $$
sleep 10
echo Finished
exit 0

Will print Terminated when killed by shell> kill SIGTERM 875125
shell> ./sleep_10.sh
PID 875125
Terminated

But when the script is executed by the Ansible module command
- command: '$PWD/sleep_10.sh'
timeout: 5
register: result
ignore_errors: true

- debug:
var: result

there is no stdout/stderr about the termination. Instead, the message says the task was terminated
result:
changed: false
failed: true
msg: The command action failed to execute in the expected time frame (5) and was terminated

Running the script asynchronously doesn't help either
- name: Run an async task
command: '$PWD/sleep_10.sh'
async: 5
poll: 0
register: result

- name: Check on an async task
async_status:
jid: "{{ result.ansible_job_id }}"
register: job_result
until: job_result.finished
retries: 10
delay: 2
ignore_errors: true

- debug:
var: job_result

gives (abridged)
TASK [Run an async task] *******************************************
changed: [localhost]

TASK [Check on an async task] **************************************
FAILED - RETRYING: [localhost]: Check on an async task (10 retries left).
FAILED - RETRYING: [localhost]: Check on an async task (9 retries left).
FAILED - RETRYING: [localhost]: Check on an async task (8 retries left).
FAILED - RETRYING: [localhost]: Check on an async task (7 retries left).
FAILED - RETRYING: [localhost]: Check on an async task (6 retries left).
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => changed=false
ansible_job_id: '633379103837.876333'
attempts: 6
child_pid: 876338
finished: 1
msg: Timeout exceeded
results_file: /home/admin/.ansible_async/633379103837.876333
started: 1
stderr: ''
stderr_lines: <omitted>
stdout: ''
stdout_lines: <omitted>
...ignoring

TASK [debug] ****************************************************
ok: [localhost] =>
job_result:
ansible_job_id: '633379103837.876333'
attempts: 6
changed: false
child_pid: 876338
failed: true
finished: 1
msg: Timeout exceeded
results_file: /home/admin/.ansible_async/633379103837.876333
started: 1
stderr: ''
stderr_lines: []
stdout: ''
stdout_lines: []}

edited Mar 24, 2022 at 14:46

answered Mar 24, 2022 at 11:50

Vladimir Botka

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2 Comments

toussa Over a year ago

Many thanks for the explanation, I indeed misinterpreted the timeout action on tasks. However, it does not answer completely the question: how to get command stdout/stderr of that task after its timeout ?

Vladimir Botka Over a year ago

You're welcome! The complete answer is: "It is not implemented". If you want to learn details see Ansible module architecture and Ansiballz framework. The code shows how the timeout is implemented ATM.

arnE · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-26 08:41:17Z

The best solution is already here, but for the sake of completeness I'll add another possibility.

There is also a possible workaround to redirect the command output to a temporary file and then print the file contents.

Example:

  - name: Create a temporary file to store script.sh output
    command: mktemp 
    register: output_file

  - name: Run script.sh
    shell: >
      script.sh
      param1
      param2 > {{ output_file.stdout }}
    async: 120
    poll: 60
    ignore_errors: yes

  - slurp:
      src: "{{ output_file.stdout }}"
    register: script_stdout

  - name: Print the script.sh output
    debug: 
      msg: "{{ script_stdout.content | b64decode }}"

  - file:
      path: "{{ output_file.stdout }}"
      state: absent

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